Clash of Sovereigns
by Aulendil
Summary: Three stubborn men, a beautiful and ambitious woman, and one vengeful dragon. Between them is the throne of Camelot, and the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. Love, betrayal, and ambition combine to change the course of the future. Starts in S01E01.
1. Arrival

**Clash of Sovereigns**

**Author's Note:**

This is my first fanfiction, but I have done a lot of work trying to edit out any parts I thought were boring or irrelevant, along with any grammatical or spelling errors. However, I have problem with tenses and descriptions, and I gladly accept any helpful criticism you can give me.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Arrival<strong>

Kilgaharrah shifted in his sleep. He dreamt of a time when he soared through the skies, worshipped by the weak two legged race called man. Every summer, tributes would be given to him and his kin; for they were the firstborn of the gods of the Old Religion, and man was merely an accident, born from the common beasts that roamed the lands since time immemorial. Alas, as time wore on, some of his kind began to pity man and taught them the powers of the dragons, and soon man believed they were equals to the great beasts. For a time they co-existed in peace, but that soon changed when King Uther Pendragon lost his wife to magic; a gift given to man by dragons.

His vision changed, and now he saw the great purge in all its horror. Warlocks and sorcerers turned the sky to ice, and the elements were arrayed against the dragons. He saw his kin forced from the sky by the icy air, and watched them freeze to death in the thousands. The dragons made the humans suffer though. They fought back as well as they could, razing town after town with their purifying fires. But men bred like rats, while every one of his kin was irreplaceable. For every man they burned, two seemed to replace them. When at last he received a peace offering from the dragonlord Balinor, he went willing, believing that even King Uther Pendragon was weary of the pointless bloodshed.

How wrong he was.

Uther had fooled the dragonlord into calling him, and the moment he arrived he was bound by Uther's sorcerers. Without his leadership, the dragons splintered as they fought over who would command them. One by one, Uther and his pet sorceress Nimueh hunted them down and destroyed them. When the last of the dragons were no more, Uther turned on his own sorcerers, burning them alive like so many blades of grass in his fear of the unknown.

But men were prideful, and their memories short. Uther believed his victory was complete, and magic was all but gone from the land. Ironically Kilgarrah, High King of the dragons, had the same objective as King Uther; to purge magic from the race of man. Should he be successful, the race of man would be doomed, for neither iron nor steel could piece a dragon's hide and no force on this earth would be able to hinder him.

But how was one to accomplish such a lofty goal? The answer lies with the powerful warlock that would soon arrive in Camelot. Men were often manipulated into thinking that they would be doing what was best for themselves, and Uther's persecution of magic would lead the warlock into believing the dragon was an ally, a fellow creature of magic. It would not be hard to fool this warlock into doing his bidding. Despite his power, he was still young and eager to find his own place in this world. This warlock, this _Merlin_ would be the key to his vengeance, and Kilgaharrah will stop at nothing till the blood of his kin has been repaid in full.

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><p>Merlin gazed at the horizon in awe; in the distance he could see the famed city of Camelot, the jewel of the lands. It was said there was no fairer city in the world, and Merlin was inclined to believe them when he saw its towering battlements and the tall stone walls. Here he could find a place in the world; perhaps his abilities would be respected rather than feared like it was in Ealdor.<p>

As Merlin entered the city, he knew something was wrong. The city square was filled with people, and as he got closer, he saw that it was a man, forced to kneel on a stone block. Merlin did not know whether to feel horror or excitement as he got a closer look.

"Let this serve as a lesson to you all, for this man, Thomas James Collins is adjudged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic," proclaimed a tall regal man, wearing a simple golden crown. This could be none other than Uther Pendragon, the king of Camelot.

Merlin reeled in shock as he heard this pronouncement. Magic was forbidden in Camelot? He should have just stayed in Ealdor. He may have been shunned there, but at least he wasn't likely to be executed for his "gifts".

"And pursuant to the Laws of Camelot, these practices are banned by my Royal Command, "said Uther. "I pride myself as a fair and just King, but for a crime this malevolent, there is only one sentence I can pass."

Merlin would have rolled his eyes if the situation was not so dire. If the king was so fair and just, he wouldn't kill people just for being different. As the axe swung, Merlin noticed a slender figure standing at the window observing the scene below. Her skin was as pale as ivory, and beauty radiated from her face as if she was an angel. Her emerald green eyes contained sorrow that was well beyond her years, as if she was trying to contain emotions long buried. For a moment, Merlin was transfixed to the spot by her image, but as the blood gushed out from the dead man's neck onto the cold stone tiles, she turned away and Merlin was bought crashing down to reality.

Uther continued to lecture the cheering crowd on the evils of magic when Merlin noticed a strange woman shuffling through the crowd. She was clad in rags, and her skin was wrinkled and pallid from age. However her eyes shone with fire, and for a moment Merlin felt a bond of kinship. Merlin quickly dropped his gaze when the woman swore to avenge her son before Uther, and before the guards could react, the woman disappeared in a whirlwind of dust, leaving a speechless Uther and several confused guards.

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><p>Morgana sat before her mirror, her outwards expression displaying a neutral face, but beneath her calm exterior she was filled with a sense of injustice. It was not right that a man could be executed for the "crime" of possessing magic. She remembered the days when she was a child; her father had taken her on some of his campaigns. The court sorcerers would create streams of fire from their fingertips and send them into the sky, and the enemies of Camelot would tremble at the sight and surrender rather than do battle with an army backed by the power of magic. She remembered her father Gorlois standing alongside Uther Pendragon, crediting the sorcerers with saving the lives of his men. That was before Uther left her father to die on the battlefield, denying him the reinforcements that he promised. She was taken into Uther's care since that day and nothing was the same again. She wanted to love the man that her father trusted with his life, but kept thinking that Gorlois's faith in Uther was ill placed. After all, her father is dead because of his trust.<p>

She got to her wardrobe and pretended to pick out a dress to wear for the feast for the night tomorrow. It was the tenth anniversary of the Great Purge, and Uther was determined to celebrate it with a grand feast. Morgana did not believe it would be proper to celebrate an event that left thousands of people dead, many of them women and children. She wondered what she would do differently if she was the Queen of Camelot, but then crushed those treasonous thoughts quickly; she would never inherit the throne for she had no claim unless she married Prince Arthur. Nothing in the world that could make commit herself to that exasperating man. He was spoilt and arrogant; worst of all, the entire royal court treated him as if he was a god, and he expected her to do the same as well.

Her mind returned to the past. In her mind's eye she could see the court sorcerer dragged screaming from his chamber on the night after the last dragon was slain. Uther had him hung, drawn and quartered and stuck his head on a spike above the main gates. The man had always been kind to her for some reason, willing to set his time aside as she pestered him to do magic tricks to amuse her. His bloated head with flies buzzing around his severed neck was the last memory she had of the nameless sorcerer. Uther had left the head up for weeks as an "example", and only took it down when the stench became unbearable. She recalled her fear and confusion as to why her adoptive father would treat people in this way, but he never gave her an answer. To this day, she still did not understand his hatred of magic, and perhaps she never will.

Morgana turns her head around as she hears Uther knock on her door. She didn't feel like acknowledging him at this time, but he was the king, and she plastered on an expressionless mask as he opened the door.

"Morgana?" asked Uther in a worried tone. "Why aren't you joining in with the festivities?"

"I just don't think that chopping someone's head off is a cause for celebration," said Morgana. "No parent should outlive their child."

"It is only justice for what he'd done," said Uther with conviction in his voice.

"To whom?" retorted Morgana.

"It is the law of the land," replied Uther, dodging her question entirely. "I'd be careful before you question my decisions again."

"The more brutal you are, the more enemies you'll create," said Morgana. "One man can only have so many enemies before he is crushed by their weight."

"I don't fear them," said Uther in a condescending tone.

"Maybe you don't - but you put the rest of us in peril," retorts Morgana. She walks away from the window, leaving Uther to ponder her words.

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><p>Kilgaharrah stirred in his cold dungeon, deep in thought. He sensed the warlock arrive mere hours ago, but was at a lost as to how he could bend the boy to his will. The boy was obviously confused about the nature of his powers, but he was stubborn and unlikely to aid a dragon without good reason. Some men desired power, others wealth or glory; unfortunately, Kilgaharrah doubted that the village boy wanted anything that the dragon could offer. He had seen the boy in his visions since birth and he was always one to aid others, even if it did not benefit himself.<p>

The dragon pulled himself away from his thoughts as he sensed the boy enter the physician's room and watched him save the physician from a fall with his powers. Idiot boy, he should have let the physician die; he did not even know the man, why would he save him and risk getting himself killed? It was fortunate that Gaius the physician was also a sorcerer, and would not reveal his nephew's secret to Uther. None the less, only the dragon knew this information, and Merlin did not. It was an unnecessary risk, but one that revealed much about the nature of the boy. The dragon smiled as the beginnings of a plan began to form in his mind.

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><p>Merlin was tired already, and it was barely noon. He just saved his uncle Gaius from a fall that would have probably killed him, and all he got was a "thank you", along with several warnings about the nature of his power. He trudged along the rock-strewn path as he ran around Camelot in order to deliver Gaius's remedies. As he reached the training yard, he watched a youthful blond man dressed in the colours of Camelot throw daggers at a manservant holding a target. He stopped to watch, as his legs were tired from walking the entire day. At first, he thought it was all just a game between friends, but soon he could tell that the servant was trembling in fear as the blond man threw daggers that pierced the thin wooden board. Suddenly, the serving boy dropped the target as the dagger grazed his arm and cut a thin red line on his skin. The target rolled along to Merlin, and without thinking, he put his foot on top of the target board in order to stop the cruel game.<p>

"Come on, that's enough," said Merlin in the friendliest tone he could muster.

"What?" asked the blond man. He was clearly annoyed at having his "training session" being interrupted by a commoner.

"You've had your fun, my friend."

"Do I know you?"

"I'm Merlin."

"So I don't know you."

"No."

"But you called me 'friend'," said the blond man in a menacing tone.

Merlin was concerned now, this boy was obviously used to giving orders, and by the looks of it he was usually obeyed as well. Still, he wasn't going to stand around and do nothing when the serving boy was being so obviously tormented by his master.

"I'd never have a friend who could be such an arse," said Merlin in a smug tone. He smiled as his statement drew a few laughs from the crowd who had gathered to watch their confrontation.

"I'll have you thrown into the dungeons for that."

"Who d'you think you are - the king!" exclaimed Merlin in surprise. He didn't realise knights could imprison people for insulting them, and perhaps the king would not appreciate his men prancing around as if they owned the kingdom.

"No, I'm his son – Arthur," said Arthur, relishing the shocked look that now dawned on Merlin's face. "On your knees!"

Before Merlin could react, Arthur kicked his shins hard with a well executed manoeuvre. Merlin fell to his knees and was forced to stay in that humiliating position by the soldiers that now surrounded him. Arthur then delivered a knockout blow to his temple, and he saw stars before his world faded into blackness.

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><p>Kilgaharrah was astonished by the boy's audacity. He stood up for a stranger who he did not know, and had paid the price willingly without attempting to save his own skin. Oh well, if he was the self sacrificing type, then it made the Dragon's task all the easier. Men with Merlin's morals are often believed in a better world for future generations and Kilgaharrah was all too willing to give Merlin a chance to fight for his image of an ideal world.<p>

Now all he needs to do is to fabricate a story Merlin would believe, and convince Merlin to believe that his 'destiny' was to bring peace and prosperity to both sorcerers and commoners alike. He almost laughed as he thought about the word 'destiny'. It is so easy to convince men that their pathetic lives have a unique purpose. The Great Dragon knew differently, and he would ensure that the future would be of his own making. Kilgaharrah focused his essence into a call; it was time to make his presence known to the warlock Merlin.

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><p><em>Merlin! <em>

Merlin awoke with a start. He blinked as he tried to take in his surroundings slowly. He was in cell, where the only light came from the torches outside by the guards. It was damp, and the stone floor was as cold as ice. Nobody was in the vicinity save the guards, but yet he swore that he just heard someone say his name.

_Merlin!_

There it was again! The voice seemed to be distant but it pierced into his core. It sounded human, but was strangely sad and broken at the same time. Merlin wondered what power could allow someone to communicate through to his mind when he could not even see whatever it was that sent the message. Surely it must be magic, but why would someone risk sending a magical message to him? He was nobody, a boy from a distant village, and probably doomed to rot in the dungeons for the rest of his rather short life after insulting the prince.

"Merlin!" cried a familiar voice. Merlin looked up in and saw that it was Gaius at the door.

"Are you a complete idiot?" continued Gaius in a condescending tone. "The one thing someone like you should do is keep your head down, and what do you do?"

"I'm sorry, "replied Merlin. Despite Gaius's anger, Merlin smiled; at least someone in this world cared about him.

"You're lucky. I've called in a few favours with the king to get you released."

"Oh thank you! I won't forget this," said Merlin with relief. He was surprised his uncle had so much pull in Camelot, but then again, it wasn't as if he was a criminal, and Uther probably wouldn't care too much about a boy his son had tossed into the dungeons.

"Ah well, nothing in this world is free lad, but I'm sure it's a much better alternative to rotting in here," said Gaius with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

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><p>Morgana listened intently as her maid Guinevere told her about the day's events. Because she was the king's ward, it often meant that she was stuck in the castle for weeks on end, and her only connection to the outside world was through her maid. Guinevere, also known as Gwen, was protesting about Arthur's treatment of some low born servant. The servant had interrupted Arthur's training session and called him an 'arse'.<p>

"It's surprising to see anyone stand up to Arthur these days, "said Morgana with a smile on her face. "Most of them are too busy trying to _lick_ his arse ever since he was proclaimed crown prince."

"My lady!" said Gwen, horrified that she would use such improper language.

"It's true! Ever since the king banned me from duelling Arthur, he hasn't had a real challenge," said Morgana.

Guinevere decided to stay silent for reasons unknown. Morgana hated it when people kept their thoughts to themselves. Just because she was a lady of the court did not mean she would not tolerate people with different ideas; she was not Uther. Her mind drifted back to Arthur and his antics. He was always prideful and arrogant as a child, but he also cared about the people around him. As he grew older however, his ego continued to swell and he started to treat everyone around him as if they were inferiors, just as Uther did today. Morgana tried to imagine the kingdom run by Arthur, but could never get past the image of Arthur crying as she disarmed him in one of their duels. She smiled as she recalled how she told Arthur she would never let him live that day down. As bad as Arthur was, he could never be worse than Uther, and she was certain she still had some semblance of control over him.

Morgana turned towards the window and through it, she saw a boy trapped in wooden stocks while the commoners threw rotted food at him; this had to be the boy Gwen was talking about. She began to revise her judgement of Arthur; if this is what he does to people who call him an 'arse', he might as well be a more immature version of Uther.

"Gwen, see to it that boy in the stocks is taken care of," requested Morgana. "I'll have another maid summoned to attend to my needs."

"Yes my lady," said Guinevere dutifully. "Would it be improper if I asked why?"

"Anyone who stands up to Arthur deserves some respect," said Morgana. She smiled again and she thought how irritated it would make Arthur to see how she cared about the boy who insulted him. This was turning out to be a not such a dull day after all.

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><p>Merlin endured the nonstop barrages of rotten fruit and other unsavoury objects for what seemed like hours. Wasn't food precious here? Why would people let them go rotten in the first place anyway? He paused as someone pasted his face with dung. Then again, maybe he should count the rotten food among his 'blessings' for the day.<p>

His thoughts were cut short when he felt someone wiping his face clean. He looked up to see a kind face with a comforting smile.

"I'm Guinevere, but most people call me Gwen," introduced Guinevere. She felt kinship with this lowborn boy who was probably just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Right, I'm Merlin, although most people call people 'idiot'," said Merlin. He was feeling rather ill, but somehow Guinevere's presence seemed to make things better.

"No, I saw what you did. It was so brave," said Guinevere.

"My mother always said there was a thin line between bravery and stupidity, and I think this was probably the latter this time," said Merlin with a smile on his face.

"Well, I'm glad you walked away, you weren't going to beat him."

"Oh, I could beat him," said Merlin in a smug voice.

"Yeah? You think? Arthur's one of those arrogant types who trained his whole life to defend Camelot to his dying breath, and you don't look like that."

"The day Camelot needs Arthur to save it is probably the day it falls," said Merlin with a laugh in spite of his current position.

Guinevere smiled, it was rather rare to see someone who was so open with their feelings in Camelot, and she thought it was a refreshing change from all the people she usually saw at court. Even the servants were usually trying to backstab each other in order to get a better mistress or lord to serve.

"Well, it was great you stood up to him. Everyone thought you were a true hero," said Guinevere with admiration in her voice. "Even the Lady Morgana was impressed with your actions today."

"Well excuse me, but my supporters are waiting," said Merlin as more horse dung was thrown in his direction, narrowly missing Guinevere but pasting him directly on the forehead.

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><p>Merlin tossed and turned in his new bed. He was trying to get some well earned rest, but his mind kept going through the day's event. He remembered his confrontation with Arthur, and his time spent in the stocks. At least the day wasn't completely wasted. He gained a friend in Gwen, and even got someone in the courts to notice him. He wondered who this 'Lady Morgana' was; maybe she could protect him from Arthur the next time he decided to make him his punching bag or whatever he wanted to do next.<p>

As he began to drift off to sleep, his bed suddenly began to vibrate with a great intensity. The voice in the dungeons came back to him.

_Merlin!_

Merlin bolts upright and strained his ears to listen. Slowly, as if in a trance, he got up from his bed and followed the direction the voice seemed to come from. It was almost as if his muscles weren't responding to the commands that he gave them, but somehow he felt that this voice, whatever it was, would be able to give him the answers he needed.

He sneaked through the empty castle in bare feet, making nearly no noise at all. Even so, he feared that the next corner he turned would have guards waiting for him, or worse still, Prince Arthur on patrol duty. Something deep within his head told him this was both foolish and pointless, but he shoved his doubts aside. The voice knew his name, and perhaps it would have answers for him as well.

He stopped as he reached the dungeons. There were only two guards awake at this time, and they were both busy playing dice. Merlin almost wanted to laugh at the security in this castle; Camelot was obviously not used to having dangerous criminals, else the dungeons would not be so lightly guarded. He summoned the power within him and rolled the dice off the table. As the guards bent down to pick up the dice, he pushed them further away. The two guards followed the dice as Merlin bit back a laugh; it was almost as easy as making a kitten chase a string and he wondered exactly how intelligent these guards were. When both the guards had their backs turned to him, Merlin quickly slipped past them into the foreboding cave that waited beyond.

Merlin quickly continued down the long winding tunnel, it seemed to get smaller as he continued and he wondered if he was going the wrong way when the torches to his side lit up. Someone was using sorcery to guide him, and Merlin wasn't sure if he should be afraid or curious. Suddenly he wound up at a dead end, with a black mirror blocking his path.

"Where are you!" shouted Merlin. He was sure the disembodied voice came from this location.

"I'm here," said the voice, and the black mirror fell away. To Merlin's shock, he realised the mirror was the eye of a great beast. A dragon.

Kilgaharrah looked with amusement at the boy below him. How could such a small body contain so much power? None the less, this was the boy, he was certain of it. At last, the instrument of his vengeance was in front of him. Now all he had to do was to convince the boy to trust a dragon; that was not going to be an easy task.

"How small you are, for such a great destiny," said the dragon in the best authoritative voice he could muster. He hated speaking in the language of men, but he had no choice. None of his kin were left to hear his words in the old tongue.

"Why? What do you mean?" asked Merlin, confusion lacing his voice. "What destiny?"

"Your gift, Merlin, was given to you for a reason," said the dragon in a sagely voice. Inside, he chortled to himself. Men are often lost, wanting someone to give them a goal to achieve. They want a reason for everything, never understanding that each being chooses their own path, that whatever abilities they possessed were merely tools, to be used whatever purpose they desire. Still, he would not deny Merlin a cause to fight for, and he was in dire need of Merlin's help.

"Arthur is the once and future king who will unite the land of Albion," continued the Dragon.

"I don't see what that has got to do with me," retorted Merlin.

"Everything. Without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you, there will be no Albion," said Kilgaharrah. "It is your destiny and Arthur's to forge a fair and just land where both Man and Magic can live together in peace."

"No ... No, you've got this wrong!" exclaimed Merlin.

The dragon frowned. This was not going according to plan. He needed Merlin to support Arthur, for only Uther's son had the ability to finish what his father had started. The prince had a strong will, and should he be turned against magic, he and Merlin combined would have the power to destroy every last sorcerer in the lands. But even now, Uther's enemies plotted for Arthur's downfall; if he dies, the throne would no doubt be passed onto Morgana, the bastard daughter of Uther. The dragon would have no hope of victory if the most powerful sorceress in history sat upon the throne of Camelot. Magic must be purged from the land if he could have any hope of victory, and only Arthur could give him that.

"There is no right or wrong. Only what is and what isn't," said the dragon, maintaining his calm exterior.

"I'm serious, if anyone wants to kill him they can go ahead. In fact, I'll give them a hand," said Merlin stoutly.

"None of us choose our destiny, Merlin, and none of us can escape it," said the Dragon. He had hoped that Merlin would seize his chance for glory, but it appears that this boy was very different from the rest.

"No, no way, there must be some other Arthur, because this one is a complete idiot," protested Merlin.

"Perhaps it's your destiny to change that," said the Dragon. He knew Merlin's desire to use his magic openly would overcome his distaste for Arthur in time; he just had to convince him that his 'destiny' was real.

With that, Kilgaharrah took off, hoping to give Merlin times to digest his lies. Surely Merlin had a tiny spark of pride in him; perhaps he would become addicted to the idea that he was pivotal to the survival of a great empire. If not, Kilgaharrah would have to prey on his other flaws.

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><p>Merlin walked back to his chambers in confusion. Destiny and Albion? The dragon made no sense at all. Merlin had always believed his powers should be used for good, but could Arthur really bring about a land where man and magic could coexist? His mother had always told him to follow his heart; he just wished his heart would give him directions every once in a while. With thoughts of a land where he would be free to practice magic, ruled by <em>King Arthur<em>, he collapsed into a deep sleep.

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><p>Merlin hurried through the castle's keep delivering Gaius's medicines, he was still tired from last night's events and he wanted to do nothing more than sleep for several more hours, but listening to Gaius drone on about the human digestive system really put him off. Even delivering medicines was a better alternative than to listen to Gaius giving a lecture on the nature of tubeworms. Deep in his thoughts, he did not notice the crowd in front of him part for some important noble till it was too late. He was the only one left in the centre of the narrow street when Prince Arthur, along with his entourage, marched around the corner and directly towards Merlin.<p>

Merlin tried to step past Arthur, but in one swift motion, Arthur stuck his leg out and tripped Merlin, who barely managed to avoid falling flat on his face by using his hands to cushion his fall.

"It's a new day, and I'm feeling generous. If you apologize to me, I might even forget your insults yesterday," said Arthur with a sneer on his face.

Merlin got up and tried to keep going towards his destination.

"Ah, don't run away," said Arthur.

That was it; Merlin wasn't going to back down from this man. If nobody else would stand up to him, then he would.

"From you?" said Merlin disparagingly. "I've told you yesterday, you're an arse. I just didn't know you were a royal one."

Merlin watched as the guards began to close in on him. He then thought of the first thing he could say and hoped he hadn't dug in his own grave.

"What are you going to do - get your father's men to protect you?" challenged Merlin. He felt relief as Arthur waved the guards back.

"I could take you apart with one blow."

With that, Arthur signalled his men to give them both weapons. They were flails, weapons that required years of training in order to not hit your own body, let alone wield it against an enemy properly. Merlin groaned; this was not going to be a good day.

As Arthur aimed the first blow at his head, Merlin ducked. It was just in time, as he felt the air part above his head, the metal ball skimming his hair. That would have been fatal if it connected. Merlin braced himself for the next blow. Just as Arthur brought the second blow down from above he heard a clear feminine voice address the Prince.

"Well what do we have here? It couldn't possibly be the mighty Prince Arthur, trying to cave in the skull of some peasant?" said Morgana. "Are your knights too challenging for you, and so you now pick on an untrained farmer?"

Arthur bristled at her tone, but managed to contain himself.

"This boy insulted my honour, and I thought it would be a good idea to teach him the meaning of respect, my Lady Morgana," explained Arthur in the calmest tone possible. "Not to mention that you have no business walking around the lower streets of Camelot."

Merlin was in shock, this was the lady Gwen served? He always though ladies were supposed to be weak and frail, but Morgana was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She carried herself with pride, as if she thought that she was an equal to all the men around her, if not superior. She moved with grace, but the way she held herself indicated that she had combat training at some point. Merlin had no doubt that she might even be able to challenge Arthur in single combat. He seemed to recall seeing her somewhere, and then he remembered her in the window during the execution. Her eyes were ablaze with mirth now, as if she was enjoying her current conversation. Merlin grinned, maybe she enjoyed riling Arthur up as much as he did.

"You're brawling in the streets with the physician's servant Arthur; surely it brings you no honour if you defeat someone who has never seen a proper weapon before today," retorted Morgana. "As for myself, I am on my way to the markets to personally find a suitable gift for Dame Helen. You haven't forgotten her visit tonight have you?"

Arthur was speechless, and Merlin found that very humorous indeed.

"I shall see you at the feast tonight Arthur," said Morgana. "I'm sure Uther would be very interested in your activities today."

Before Morgana left, she looked right at Merlin's eyes, and he was sure that his heart had just skipped a beat. Arthur saw it too, and it seemed to make him more frustrated that he was before. Without another word, Arthur marched away, leaving a very confused Merlin and a disappointed crowd.

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><p>Morgana let the beginnings of a smile form on her lips once she was out of sight. She hadn't been able to have a proper conversation with Arthur for months, and now that she had, she felt liberated. He could never win an argument against her when he was a child, and it seems the same still holds true. As she walked along the stores, looking for precious stones or some other exotic gift, she couldn't help but feel curious about the boy. What man would dare defy the prince not once, but twice in the same week? Perhaps he was simply an idiot with no sense of self preservation. If Arthur was the vengeful type, the servant's head would be rolling across the main courtyard within the hour. As it is, Arthur may be egoistic, but he does not kill someone for standing up to him; it was one of the few things Arthur did differently from his father. Morgana often wondered if Arthur was just a less vengeful incarnation of Uther, seeing as the two were almost identical in personality. Perhaps he would be a different king, but she doubted the barbaric practices set down by Uther would be undone by Arthur.<p>

Her thoughts turned back to the physician's new servant. There was something off about him, and Morgana was curious. The boy did not seem to fear Arthur, who was known as the best warrior in all the kingdoms. What advantage did he hold over him? She allowed the thought to quickly pass her by. Best not to over think it; after all, he could just be an idiot. She walked back to her chambers, still filled the satisfaction of seeing Arthur run away with his tail between his legs; she would never get sick of teasing that arrogant prick.

* * *

><p>Merlin continued down the street in a daze. It wasn't often that he nearly gets his skull caved in by a giant metal spike on a chain, before being rescued by a lady. Still, he wondered why she would even bother. His outward appearance was plain and everyone knew he was not of noble birth, but she still stopped Arthur despite him being a commoner. Then there was the moment where he started into her eyes, and he almost thought she her eyes pieced right through his soul, stealing his darkest secret. Merlin shook his head and bought himself back to reality. It would be foolish to assume she cared about him; his mother always told him to stay out of the games the high lords and ladies play as they battle for the throne. No doubt he was just a pawn in their games that he did not understand. With that, he went ahead with delivering his medicines till he saw one of the bottles was meant to be delivered to the Lady Morgana.<p>

Merlin entered the inner chamber of the castle to see Morgana back from the market already, trying out a dress in the mirror. He wanted to say something about delivering the medicine, but somehow no words could come from his mouth. Fortunately, she did not notice him as she slips behind a screen and starts to change.

"You know I've been thinking about Arthur," said Morgana thoughtfully. "I wouldn't touch him with a lance pole. Pass me that dress, will you?"

Merlin's mind was trying to think in overdrive. He could almost hear the gears in his head. She obviously thought he was her maid, which gave him more time to react. A small part of him told him to run before she noticed him; spying on the king's ward was probably grounds for execution in Camelot. Still, he couldn't help but notice how exquisite her silhouette was as he threw the dress she asked for on top of the screen.

"I mean the man is a total jouster; just because I'm the king's ward doesn't mean I have to accompany him to the dance, does it?" asked Morgana.

Merlin was doing his best to try and sneak out of the room, but Morgana seemed to demand an answer to her question.

"Well, does it?"

"Un-uh," said Merlin in his best imitation of a high pitched voice. It was by sheer luck that Morgana did not notice anything out of the ordinary and continued to try out her dress.

"If he wants me to, then he should invite me. And he hasn't. So do you know what that means?"

"Un-uh," repeated Merlin. He was really stepping into dangerous territory now. One wrong step and he might be the next on that stone block.

"Where are you?" asked Morgana, doubt creeping into her voice. She turned around to see someone holding up a dress and assumed all was well.

Merlin was not well at all; he was attempting to hide behind a dress, but somehow could not resist peering through the dress to see what was going on.

"Here," he squeaked, praying that his voice was somewhat similar to Guinevere.

"It means I'm going by myself," continued Morgana with an unperturbed voice. "I need some help with the fastening."

Merlin squeezed his eyes shut, that's it. He was exposed now, and he hoped the Lady Morgana would be forgiving, because Uther certainly did not seem to be the forgiving type.

"Gwen?" asked Morgana. She was now confused and was turned her head to look for her maid.

"I'm here," said Guinevere. She had just entered the chamber and was very confused by Merlin's presence, but she did not say anything. Merlin pointed towards his medicine bottle and Gwen smiled, smoothly grabbed his bottle and walked over to the screen in one fluid motion.

Merlin quickly snuck out of the room after giving the potion to Guinevere. He breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he got out, his heart beating faster than when Arthur had nearly killed him earlier that morning. He didn't think the last minute was any less life threatening either.

* * *

><p>Merlin needed to clear his head after his two recent brushes with death. He still had to gather his herbs for Gaius. As he weaved his way through the trees looking for the dratted herbs, he heard the sound of a woman singing. Merlin, unable to contain his curiosity, crept in closer towards the voice. But as he got closer to the lake, he saw the ghastly reflection of the witch at the execution, before realising that the one casting the reflection was none other than Dame Helen; she was the woman who was supposed to sing at the celebration tonight.<p>

Merlin quickly darted behind the trees, aghast at the implications of his discovery. He remembered the words of the witch, _"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son!"_ The woman was going to kill Arthur, he was certain of it. The hardest question remains in his mind however, and he was seriously considering letting the witch succeed after what he had done today. He shook his head and ran back to the castle as fast as he could.

Merlin had no choice but to continue his day. He tried to voice his suspicions to Gaius, who quickly dismissed them as his own imagination. He learned that Gaius had gotten him a job as a server at the feast. At least he would be able to look after Arthur at the feast, and if danger does strike, he could make his decision about whether to save Arthur or not. He definitely did not look forwards to being Arthur's slave for the duration of the feast though.

The night quickly approached and Merlin was astounded by the riches displayed in the hall. Golden tapestries hung from the walls, reminding the guests of battles long past. The shields of the various Noble houses was displayed for all to see high above on the arches of the main doorway, as if reminding the common folk of the superiority of the noble bloodlines. Merlin tried to ignore the flamboyant display of grandeur. The highborn had never cared of the suffering of the common folk, and he suspected the display was there to intimidate the ambassadors from other kingdoms who came to visit Camelot. He hastily went to begin his tasks, but was shocked still as he saw the Lady Morgana walk into the room with the most dazzling garment he had ever laid eyes upon.

* * *

><p>Morgana held her head high as she entered the room. She smiled as she heard gasps from the many men in the room. She was even more delighted when she realised that she had rendered Prince Arthur speechless as he looked in her direction. It always amused her how she could have such effect on the men in the court, especially on Arthur. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the physician's servant staring as well. What was he doing here in court? She quickly decided it had to be Arthur, trying to degrade the man who dared to defy him by making him serve the royal court. Seemed like it would be something Arthur would do to get his petty revenge on the poor boy.<p>

She took her place opposite to Arthur. It seems he had not forgotten the events that passed the day before.

"Oh, I didn't see you arrive, Morgana," said Arthur in a carefree voice, as if he was hoping to annoy her.

"Oh, and I didn't notice you were here or I would not have come over, Arthur," said Morgana. She enjoyed bantering with Arthur, mainly because she always won.

"I've got to say that is an absolutely gorgeous dress," remarked Arthur. There was a hint of a smile playing on his face.

Morgana looked at Arthur with mild surprise. It was not usual for Arthur to compliment anyone but himself. He broke into her thoughts by continuing his previous statement.

"Have you seen it? The woman behind you, she looks fantastic."

Morgana smiled. It seems like Arthur was not being magically possessed after all. Well, this was a game two could play.

"Yes, I saw her earlier, she was with that really handsome man."

"Not your type," said Arthur, his voice taking on a somewhat possessive tone.

"You don't know my type," replied Morgana casually.

"Yes, I do. The ones you have to chase."

"No, I like the ones who have to beg," countered Morgana. She always had the final word over Arthur, and if the same held true over the king, perhaps the kingdom would be a better place. She picked up a chicken drumstick, waved it above a lonely mutt that wagged its' tail hopefully as it smelled the succulent piece of meat, before putting it in her mouth. In some ways, Arthur was just like the dog, always looking for her approval. It would be a cold day in hell before she would ever compliment Arthur.

* * *

><p>As the feast died down, Merlin was summoned over by Arthur to clean up his dirty platter. Merlin was tempted to let the witch kill Arthur tonight as the prince forced Merlin to watch as he finished of the last of his delicious looking meal. He immediately felt a pang of shame; what sort of man would he be if he allowed someone who was innocent to die just because he didn't like them? His thoughts were interrupted as he saw Dame Helen enter the hall. Merlin watched her every action carefully. He suspected she was here to assassinate Arthur, and it did not matter if he was a prat. He would defend him and damn the consequence, as long as it didn't involve him being executed by Uther for performing magic. The master of celebrations invited the Dame to begin her legendary songs, and she rewarded the crowd with a chillingly beautiful melody.<p>

As the Dame's song drew on however, the room slowly began to decay before Merlin's eyes. He quickly put his hands around his ears as he tried to block out the enchanted song. He saw that the others were not so lucky; they were all now drabbed in cobwebs, deathly still as the Dame drew closer to Arthur. She pulled out a wicked looking dagger and Merlin knew he had to act. He reached inside him to draw on the power he had always been able to command. With one look, his eyes blazed with liquid fire as he snapped the chains holding the chandelier up above the great hall, and it fell on the Dame with a sickening crunch.

Arthur was one of the first to recover, he cautiously stepped forwards and lifted the Dame's cloak, then he drew back in horror as he saw that it was the body of the witch at the execution. Suddenly, the witch opened her eyes, and with her dying gasp, she cast a spell that sent the dagger flying towards Arthur's heart with preternatural speed. Merlin was already running and managed to push Arthur out of the way, narrowly avoiding the dagger himself. The witch gave Merlin a look of pure hatred before her body finally expired.

* * *

><p>Morgana stares in shock as she slowly takes in what had happened. One ancient woman had single handed rendered the entire royal guard impotent with her sorcery. She shuddered to think of the countless enemies Uther had no doubt made over the years of the Great Purge. Perhaps they were biding their time, waiting for their king to lead them before storming Camelot en mass. She knew it in her heart that Uther's purge had done nothing but to foster hatred between those with the power of magic, and those without. One day, Uther Pendragon may yet regret his actions, but not before he had torn down the lives of all those around him. Her eyes flared with anger as she thought about how Uther was the same man who sent her father to his death. How many more lives must be lost because of the hatred of one man? Still, he was her father's best friend, and she would do her best to honour his memory. Perhaps Uther could still be turned from his ways before it was too late.<p>

"I warned you, "whispered Morgana. She prayed her words would get through to the king this time.

Uther turns his head to look at his ward. His eyes were filled with rage, as if he could not believe the sorceress had dared to enter his castle.

"He saved Arthur's life. A debt must be repaid," said Morgana out aloud for all the court to hear. Privately she was impressed by the young man's courage. It took a great deal of fortitude to lay down your life for a stranger, and particularly so when said stranger nearly killed him this morning. She smiled to herself. Perhaps the man simply stood up to Arthur because he knew he was the better man.

"No, honestly, you don't have to your highness," stuttered the man. Morgana vaguely remembered Gwen saying that his name was Merlin.

"Oh, absolutely, this merits something rather special," said Morgana. She was tired of all the double dealing snakes and bootlickers in court, it would be nice to have another man with backbone to talk to, even if he was probably going to be a guard.

"Well..." said Merlin hesitantly. Morgana looked at the man strangely. It's not often someone questions a reward. Perhaps he was trying to stay unnoticed, but why would anyone want such a thing unless they had secrets they want to keep hidden? Her mind went over the events again and she tried to figure out what had happened since the feast began. Exactly how was it that he was the only man in court not paralysed by the magical spell? Her mind came to one single conclusion. This man either knew of magic, or was a sorcerer himself. She smiled encouragingly at him. Either way, he would be a valuable addition to the palace guard, and he obviously bore the royal family no ill will if he decided to save Arthur. The only way to defeat sorcery was with sorcery, and Morgana had no qualms doing whatever it took to protect the ones closest to her.

"Yes, you will be rewarded with a job for life, "snapped Uther with anger in his voice. "The job of Arthur's manservant."

Morgana tried to keep a straight face as the pronouncement was made. Surely even Uther would not be so unjust. The man who just saved Arthur's life was to be his servant? Perhaps Merlin would regret his rash actions now. Outwardly she clapped politely along with the rest of the nobles in the room. The only people without smiles pasted onto their faces were Uther, Arthur and Merlin himself. Uther then stormed out of the hall, no doubt preparing to punish the guards who failed to identify the witch; he was always one to blame anyone but himself.

* * *

><p>Kilgaharrah could sense the essence of the dead sorceress leaving this world behind. So Merlin truly believes in his destiny then? He chuckled to himself. The great warlock certainly did not have the brains to match his powers. With Arthur's position safe for now, the Dragon began to set his mind onto the next stage of his scheme. The same hatred Uther bears for magic must be instilled in his son, and there was no better way for this to happen than to have his father perish at the hands of Magic. That should not be hard to arrange; Uther had plenty of enemies with magic, and the dragon would gladly aid them in the task. For the first time in a decade, the dragon allowed himself to feel hope. He settled onto the giant protruding rock and slowly fell into a deep sleep.<p>

_The banners fly flew proudly as an army marches to war, but it was not the emblem of Camelot on their flags; it was the black banner of the Bloodguard, a red tree on a pitch black background._

_The vision flashes and changes to the main courtyard where the sorcerer was executed the day before. The same banner flew here and he saw her; Morgana, Queen of Camelot crowned in all her splendour. The crowds below her cried out with near religious fervour._

_Long live the Queen! Long live the King!_

_Kilgaharrah saw a man besides her, but that man was not Arthur. He willed his mind's eye to fly in closer to get a better look..._

The dragon woke with a start, with both fear and anger in equal measure shining in his eyes.

The King was Merlin.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** No, I will not be going over each episode, but I will pick out the ones that I feel advance the plot and character development the most. I'm also biased towards one character, so I will pick the episodes where said character develops the most. Free cookies if you can guess what character I like best.

Major plot changes might happen somewhere along the lines, but I'll try to stick to the show's storyline till I feel that they make someone really OOC and unbearable.

**Edit:** 19th March 2012 - This is just the set-up chapter! If you thought it was too much like the first episode like I did in hindsight, don't worry because it gets more interesting (IMO) in the following chapters!


	2. A Shield in the Shadows I

**Chapter 2: A Shield in the Shadows (Part 1) **

**Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews for my first chapter, you guys rock. However, only one person guessed my favourite character, and that person is **Meri Ley. **You get a virtual cookie.

Also, if anyone is curious, Arthur and Merlin are 19 at this time, and Morgana is 22.

* * *

><p>The cave was as silent as a tomb save for the slow dripping of water. To the unobservant guest it would appear to be empty, but if one looked closely, they would see a great winged beast perched on top of a large rock, lost in his thoughts. Kilgaharrah hated his prison and longed to be free once more, but he had more pressing matters at hand. It has been mere hours since Merlin rescued Arthur at the feast, and the new Prince was enjoying giving his new servants as many tasks as he could think of. No doubt the warlock did not feel overly sympathetic to his new master; they were still a long way from the alliance that would ultimately purge magic from the lands of Albion forever.<p>

He had not forgotten the vision he had received of Morgana sitting upon the throne of Camelot, with Merlin at her side. It was no doubt one of the many possible futures, and it would be one that he would try to prevent. Kilgaharrah sighed and smoke came wafting from his nostrils; the problem with trying to act against a future was that you could inadvertently cause it to come true. Many men in the past have seen such visions and tried to prevent them, only to realise that in the end it was their attempts to change the future that would make their dreams come to pass. He would not let that happen to him.

To him, there was only one logical course of action; Morgana must die. He just wished he knew how he could accomplish such a feat without turning Merlin against him.

* * *

><p>Merlin sweltered beneath the many different pieces of armour he was forced to wear, he doubted he could name any of the pieces other than the helmet. He had been 'training' with Arthur for nearly an hour now. This armour was ridiculous; it seemed that it was designed to trap heat, cooking its wearing alive beneath the midday sun. As Arthur resumed his relentless assault with his wooden sword, Merlin tried to raise his shield to block. Unfortunately for him, he had no idea how to hold it properly, and each blow was probably leaving a bruise mark his arm. Suddenly, Arthur feinted and Merlin raised his shield to block a blow that never came, allowing Arthur to swing his sword around in another direction and land a solid blow on his helmet with an earth shattering noise.<p>

"Ow!" cried Merlin instinctively. "I think you just blew my eardrums!"

"Oh don't be such a girl Merlin. I've had worse and my hearing is perfectly fine," said Arthur nonchalantly. Despite himself, Arthur was beginning to like his new servant. For all his flaws, at least he wasn't down on his knees begging for mercy, like all his previous servants did. Besides, he could count on one finger the number of servants that had saved his life.

"Maybe your hearing is fine, but all those knocks on your head probably contributes to your lack of intelligence," muttered Merlin under his breath.

"Did you just say something Merlin?" asked Arthur with a threatening tone creeping into his voice.

"I was just saying that maybe we should head back inside," replied Merlin hastily.

"Head back inside? It's barely midday!" said an exasperated Arthur. "We will continue until the sun sets. Mastery of the sword is a skill honed through constant practice, and I've got a tournament to win."

Merlin groaned and raised his shield again.

* * *

><p>Morgana watched the prince 'duel' his new servant through her window. It was obvious that the boy had no clue about how to wield a sword. Indeed, it seemed like that he was not using his sword at all; instead he was hiding behind his shield as Arthur rained down blow after blow. Arthur claimed to be 'practicing' for the tournament in the days ahead, but she doubted he could improve his skills by fighting a servant. How she longed for the days when she still had the freedom to do whatever she pleased; in years past she might have donned her own armour and shown him a trick or two.<p>

Her thoughts turned to the tournament tomorrow; Uther was no doubt planning the spectacle in order to increase his son's prestige. Arthur always won these tournaments, and Uther said it increased the people's confidence in him. Personally, she never saw the connection between the ability to kill someone with a blade and the ability to rule a kingdom effectively, but the people thought otherwise. She often wondered what would happen if Arthur actually lost one of these tournaments; perhaps it would be good for him. After all, he already had the ego of two men combined, and learning the meaning of modesty might make him a more worthy king than Uther. She gazed down at Arthur again, watching him land another blow onto his servant's head and grimaced as she saw the boy fall to the ground; that was it, there was no way she was going to go to yet another feast with Arthur as her escort again. Now if only she could figure out how to ensure that Arthur does lose.

* * *

><p>It was late in the night when Merlin finally returned to his room in Gaius's house. The prat of a Prince got to enjoy a hot meal straight from the palace kitchens after their 'duel', while he got to muck out the stables for another two hours. His body ached all over as it protested the abuse it had received. Merlin collapsed at a chair as he heard Gaius chuckle at sight of his bedraggled warlock.<p>

"So, how was your first day as Arthur's servant?" asked Gaius.

"Do you hear something ringing Gaius?" asked Merlin rhetorically as he tapped his head. He has still not gotten the noise out of his head after the beating Arthur gave him today.

"It'll get easier, trust me," said Gaius with a reassuring tone. He was massaging Merlin's body so that he would not feel even worse when he woke up tomorrow morning.

"It was horrible! And I've still got to learn all about tournament etiquette by tomorrow morning," complained Merlin. "I save Arthur from being killed and I end up as his slave. How is that fair?"

"I'm not sure fairness comes into it. You never know, it might be fun," lied Gaius. The physician did not feel that it would do any harm if he could somehow encourage the boy to like his work. "Besides, you still get paid, so it's not like you are a slave."

"You think mucking out Arthur's horses is going to be fun? You should hear my list of duties. Being paid means nothing if you don't have the time to spend it!"

"We all have our duties. Arthur might have the hardest duty of them all, even if it doesn't look that way."

Merlin rolled his eyes at the statement Gaius just made, and then stopped as he considered what he would do if he was the crown prince. Probably find some new servants so that the he didn't just have one servant do everything for him.

"It must be so hard for him with all the women and the glory," ranted Merlin; he was not feeling sorry for Arthur at all.

"He is a future king. People expect him to be a great leader. He's under a lot of pressure from his father and his people."

"That makes two of us," said Merlin miserably.

* * *

><p>Morgana rose early the following day; she wanted to inspect the knights that have come to Camelot to challenge Arthur for his title. Her heart fell as she saw Arthur's competition training against their practice dummies. Most of them were horrifically incompetent compared to Arthur. Morgana thought that even she could defeat a few of them personally, regardless of the fact that she had not been allowed to wield a sword for years. They were slow, their footwork was shabby and their eyes seemed to betray the very next move they would make; they might as well just return to their fathers before they made themselves look like fools in front of the entire kingdom.<p>

Just as Morgana was about to leave the training grounds, she spied another knight out of the corner of his eyes. While he was not particularly tall or strong, she noticed that his footwork was solid, and he was soundly defeating all the other knights in practice matches without looking overly stressed. In fact, if she did not know better, she almost thought that he looked bored out of his mind. Curious now, she walked up towards him with a confidant stride.

As Morgana approached and lifted her hood, all the other knights stepped back and bowed their heads in respect; all but the mysterious knight. She was beginning to admire this man.

"My Lady Morgana," addressed the man with a slight bow before looking right back into her eyes. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"No pleasure I'm afraid, I'm merely here to inspect the Prince's competition," replied Morgana. "I must say I'm impressed with the level of skill you display, Ser..."

"Ser Valiant of Western Isles, third son of Lord Mormont," said Valiant respectfully. "And you honour me milady, but my swordsmanship is rather poor compared to Prince Arthur."

"Perhaps if you were to fight with the lady's favour, it would improve your odds," said Morgana smoothly. "Ride with me this afternoon, for I would like to get to know you better."

"By your command milady; but what of the king?" said Valiant uncertainly. "He would certainly not appreciate you supporting anyone but the prince."

"Please Ser Valiant, the tournament is meant to show the unity of Camelot's fiefdoms," said Morgana. "Supporting you over the prince will only show the enemies of Camelot our strength and unity. I'm sure King Uther would agree with me."

"I shall meet you at the palace gates at midday then milady," said Valiant with a smile.

Morgana almost allowed herself to smirk as she saw the various other knights gaze with jealousy at Ser Valiant.

* * *

><p>Merlin breathed heavily as he carried Arthur's insanely heavy armour down to Gwen's house. She promised that she would show him how to equip a man in armour properly, as Merlin had no idea where to begin with all the myriad straps and buckles. Whoever designed this armour obviously had a serious grudge against servants everywhere.<p>

Gwen was waiting for him as he finally reached her house. As she saw him stumbling through the streets with the armour balanced precariously on his arms, she hurried out to help him before he dropped the armour. Merlin gave out a breath of relief as some of the load was removed.

"Thanks, I was sure I was about to drop something," said Merlin gratefully.

"We wouldn't want to get the Prince's armour dirty, would we?" teased Gwen. If Merlin didn't know better, he would have thought that this girl liked him.

As they stepped inside her house, Merlin noticed how much better it was compared to his own chambers. The house may not be the best he had seen, but it almost made him feel like it was home.

"Come in and put the armour on the table, and I'll teach you how to identify each individual piece," said Gwen.

"Say, do all servants get a house like this if they serve for long enough?" asked Merlin hopefully, not really paying attention to what Gwen was saying.

"Of course not," said Gwen with a laugh. "The house belongs to my father, the blacksmith, and the Lady Morgana was kind enough to allow me to stay with him after I became her maid."

"Ah, so your father is the blacksmith. That would explain how you know so much about armour," said Merlin."

"Yes," said Gwen with a blush on her face. "It's quite sad, isn't it."

"No I think it's brilliant," replied Merlin, giving her his best smile. "I just wish I had a house like this though."

"Even if you did, the Prince would probably make you stay in the castle; this is Arthur we're talking about after all," said Gwen cheekily. "Either way, you wouldn't have what you want, so no point dreaming about it."

"Yeah I suppose," grumbled Merlin. "It's still a nice dream though."

With that, Gwen turned towards the armour and began introducing him to each part of the armour, explaining where each part goes and how to put it on. Vambraces, voiders; the terms seemed like another language, and it took all of Merlin's concentration to recognise each individual piece and learn how to put them on properly. He groaned inwardly; exactly why did he save Arthur again?

* * *

><p>Morgana walked back to her chambers quickly as she wondered how she could convince Valiant to work with her. She needed to make the ride look inconspicuous, for Uther would no doubt press her to consider a marriage to Valiant if he thought she was attracted to him in any way. He had been trying to get her to marry into one of the noble houses for years, and he might think that the third son of Lord Mormont was a suitable candidate. She sighed to herself as she recalled the numerous suitors Uther had presented to her in the past year; they had all been rich merchants or the pompous, spoilt sons of some minor lord.<p>

"Gwen, I want you to prepare my horse," said Morgana as her most trusted maid entered her chambers; she was looking rather bedraggled for some reason. "After that, inform the king that I would like to go out for a ride to pay my respects to my mother's grave, and I want Ser Valiant to accompany me as my escort, along with two of the palace guard."

"Milady, could I ask about the real reason behind this visit?" said Gwen uncertainly.

Morgana smiled to herself as she heard her maid ask such a bold question. Over the years, she had gotten to know the woman so well that she considered her more of a friend rather than a servant. She was shy and unremarkable, but her tendency to speak her mind was what made her so unique in Camelot.

"You know me too well Gwen," said Morgana with a laugh. "I just wanted to discuss certain strategies with Ser Valiant concerning our favourite prince."

"You're going to try and help Ser Valiant win?" said Gwen, the shock on her face betraying her emotions.

"Arthur has won every tournament for the last three years; I think it's time for a change in scenery," said Morgana. "Besides, you would do the same as me if you had to have him as your escort to the feast."

"But milady, it isn't proper to lie to the Kin-" stammered Gwen.

"Guinevere, do you serve me, or do you serve Uther?" asked Morgana sharply, cutting her maid short. There was a steely gaze in her eyes, as if she was only expecting one answer. For a moment, Gwen saw Morgana not as a friend, but a queen in her own right.

"I serve you milady," said Gwen meekly. It wasn't as if she had a choice anyway.

"Then you will do as I command," ordered Morgana.

"I'll see to it that your horse is prepared," replied Gwen dutifully.

"Remember Gwen, you're not lying to the King, you just don't have to tell him the whole truth," said Morgana, warmth flowing back into her voice. "Keep that in your mind if it makes it easier for you."

Somehow she didn't think that made her maid any less nervous.

* * *

><p>Merlin was almost done with Arthur armour, and he had to admit that the Prince did look rather intimidating when he was in it. He was doing much better than he expected, and he owned that all to Gwen. She taught him for hours without progress, but when she realised he still didn't understand what he was supposed to be doing, she told him to dress her in the armour instead. That made it much easier as she could simply show him how to put a certain piece on without trying to explain it all in words. He smiled as he recalled the memory of Gwen in Arthur's armour; she certainly did not look the part of a prince at all.<p>

"You do know that the tournament starts tomorrow?" said Arthur exasperatedly. "You were late for almost an hour today! I expect you to arrive on time tomorrow, or there will be consequences."

"Are you nervous?" asked Merlin, trying to change the subject as he fiddled with a particularly annoying buckle.

"A Prince does not get nervous, especially when he knows he's better than his competition," said Arthur. Merlin somehow felt that the show of bravado was just to cover his real emotions.

"Really? I thought everyone got nervous."

"That's why I'm the prince, while you're not," said Arthur smugly. "Now stop babbling and get on with your job."

As Merlin did up the final buckle, he stood back to admire his work; not bad, if he had to say so himself.

"Aren't you forgetting something," said Arthur impatiently.

Merlin looked at Arthur again; he was sure that everything was on and done up properly. Maybe Arthur was just trying to throw him off.

"My sword!" said Arthur at last.

"Oh of course! Uh I guess you will be needing that," said Merlin quickly as he handed over the sword.

Arthur grabbed the sword and proceeded to march off towards the training ground. Fortunately for Merlin, he was going to practice with the knights instead.

"I expect you to be here at dawn tomorrow to arm me for the tournament," said Arthur loudly as he walked out of the tent. "Oh and don't forget to wash my tunic, clean my boots, clean the stables and give my horses some much needed exercise."

"That well better than expected," muttered Merlin to himself. He sighed as he got back to his other duties.

* * *

><p>Morgana enjoyed the few rides she got. It wasn't often that Uther allowed her out of the castle, but he almost always allowed her to go out whenever she asked to visit her mother's grave. She often wondered why the same didn't hold true for her father's grave; perhaps Uther felt too guilty about how he left his best friend to die. As the small group got close to their destination, they slowed to a stop. The grave was on top of a small mound, and they would have to walk the rest of the way on foot.<p>

"You two will stand guard by the horses; warn us if you see anything suspicious," said Morgana to the two guards. "My maid and Ser Valiant can come with me as I pay my respects to my mother."

As she knelt down before the tombstone, she brushed away the dirt on the engraving. The words on the tomb had been obscured by time, but now she could read them again.

'Here lies the Lady Vivienne, loving wife of Ser Gorloise and ...' [1]

Morgana frowned as she tried to make out the rest of the inscription. It seemed like someone had deliberately erased the words that followed. She shook her head lightly to clear her mind; it was probably just the wind and rain that eroded it away. She couldn't help but feel a little curious about what the rest of the inscription said though. However there was much work to be done if she was to ensure Arthur's loss, and so she quickly turned her thoughts to the matter at hand.

"I assume you've already realised what we came here for?" asked Morgana.

"To visit your mother's grave?" responded Ser Valiant with a confused look on his face. Morgana felt the slight urge to tear at her hair. He may have been good with a sword, but his mind was obviously not quite as sharp.

"Think Ser Valiant, I could have asked any number of men to escort me," said Morgana exasperatedly. "Why did I choose you?"

"I was the best warrior on the training field, you said as much this morning," boasted Valiant. "If anyone was to attack you, I would be able to defend you the best."

"While I'm touched by your concern, we can see the walls of Camelot from here. It's unlikely bandits will strike within viewing distance of the battlements," said Morgana, realising that this was obviously not going anywhere, and so she decided to cut to the heart of the matter. "No, I'm here to discuss the tournament with you, namely Prince Arthur."

For a moment Morgana thought she saw a shadow of doubt emerge on Valiant's face; surely he was not trying to hide something from her. Then his face quickly returned to normal, and he looked her in the eye, as if trying to judge her character again.

"Forgive me milady, but a woman should not interfere with the affairs of men. I will defeat Prince Arthur in your name, you have my promise," said Valiant nonchalantly.

"Believe what you want, but if you meet Arthur on the field, he will defeat you," said Morgana confidently. "If you wish to win, you will listen to my words."

Valiant looked like he was shocked. Morgana thought that he was probably not used to women giving him orders back in his father's castle. He better get used to it soon, or she might just let Arthur win after all.

"Of course milady," said Valiant cautiously. "What it is you propose that we do?"

"I've known Arthur since he was a child. He's arrogant and confident, but he also likes to pretend he's honourable in front of the crowds," said Morgana. "We will use this to our advantage."

Valiant now looked even more confused. He probably expected her to describe some of Arthur's manoeuvres and their counters. Morgana resisted the temptation to roll her eyes, men hardly ever thought beyond the physical solution to a problem.

"Forgive me milady, but I do not understand," said Valiant. "How do we use that to our advantage?"

"It's simple," replied Morgana. "If you are to fight Arthur, you must pretend to strain your right ankle before the match between you and him."

Realisation finally dawns on Valiant's face, and he gave her a genuine smile.

"Of course milady, then perhaps Arthur will move slower to prolong the show for the crowds. After all, fighting a man with a sprained ankle is more or less an assured victory," said Valiant, relief appearing on his face.

"He will not be expecting much movement from that leg; he will overcompensate on your left side, and then you can use that to your advantage," finished Morgana.

Valiant grinned from ear to ear as he absorbed all the aspects of the plan. Morgana had deliberately made it simple, but it preys on Arthur's greatest weakness at the same time. She vaguely remembered her father say 'Simplicity often leads to success.' Over the years, she quickly learnt that what her father said was true.

"Thank you my lady for your advice," said Valiant as he kissed her hand. "I will see you at the opening ceremony tomorrow."

"One last thing Ser Valiant," said Morgana sharply. "You will need to sprain your ankle in some other way after you defeat Arthur; we wouldn't want to the Court Physician to see that your ankle had magically healed overnight. After all, you do not want the King to accuse you of trickery, or worse, sorcery."

Valiant nodded solemnly as he led her and Gwen back to the horses. Out of the corner of her eye, Morgana saw that her maid was looking rather uncomfortable.

"Is something wrong Gwen?" asked Morgana worriedly.

"It's just that don't you think it's wrong to trick Arthur?" asked Gwen hesitantly.

Morgana laughed lightly; her maid was often too good natured for her own good; trust her to get sentimental over someone like Arthur.

"Relax Gwen, Arthur needs a bruise on his ego before it grows out of control," said Morgana dismissively. "It'll make him a better man."

* * *

><p>The day of the tournament dawned and Merlin woke up with a loud groan. He wanted to just pull the covers over his head and drift off into sweet oblivion again, but the sun was too bright and shone through his rather thin sheets.<p>

The sun! Arthur ordered him to meet him at dawn, and he was probably late already. Merlin almost jumped out of his bed and put on his shoes before rushing out towards the training field; fortunately he was already in his clothes as he had forgotten to take them off the night before. Merlin wondered what Arthur would do to him this time; make him clean the stables and empty out the human waste? He hurried towards the preparation tent; he hoped that if he wasn't too late Arthur would only force him to clean the stables.

To his surprise, he arrived at the tent, only to find that there was no one inside. Confused, he walked around the tent and for a moment he thought he walked into the wrong place. However he soon spotted Arthur's armour on a stand. Merlin scratched his head as he tried to figure out what he had done wrong, but his eyelids would not keep open and he soon drifted off to sleep on the wet morning grass.

Merlin was dreaming; he was running from the palace guard but he didn't know why. The hallways were strangely familiar, yet different at the same time. He only heard the guards behind him shouting something incoherent, and knew he had to keep going...

"Good morning Merlin, fancy seeing you here on time today," said Arthur in a rather cheerful tone.

Merlin woke with a start, trying to shake off his rather strange dream. He opened his bleary eyes and peered up at Arthur, who had a large grin on his face.

"Arthur? Where were you, I've been waiting here for a while now," said Merlin sleepily.

"Well seeing as you were late yesterday, I didn't want you to be late on the day of the tournament," said Arthur smugly. "So I decided to get you to come here far earlier than you needed to so that you would be on time."

"I didn't even have time for breakfast," moaned Merlin. He could already feel his stomach grumbling in protest.

"You can eat your breakfast after you arm me. Let's see if you can do it faster today."

Merlin got to work as fast as he could, all the while grumbling to himself. He wished he could make Arthur pay for this, but knew that it would properly make things worse for himself if he did.

* * *

><p>As the king's ward, Morgana had one of the best seats in the arena; the one right next to Uther's place. It seemed to her that Uther had always given the duties that traditionally belonged to the Queen of Camelot. Today, however, she had more important things to do than to sit around and look the part of a Queen. She watched as the knights slowly filed into the circular ring; it was more or less a repurposed training ground, with plenty of sand on the ground to make sure that the blood wouldn't be too hard to clean up. The crowds in the stands seemed very enthusiastic about the tournament, and for once she shared their feelings; it has been so many years since Prince Arthur had lost a tournament, and she wondered how he would deal with the blow to his pride.<p>

"Knights of the realm, it's a great honour to welcome you to a tournament at Camelot," proclaimed Uther. "Over the next three days, you will come to put your bravery to the test, your skills as warriors, and of course, to challenge the reigning champion, my son, Prince Arthur."

At the mention of Arthur's name, the people gave a loud resounding cheer that seemed to make the ground shake in response. Morgana just shook her head; this was exactly why Arthur had to lose. Even the commoners were trying to inflate his ego now, as if he did not have enough worshippers in court.

"Only one can have the honour of being crowned champion, and he will receive a prize of a thousand gold pieces," continued Uther. "It is in combat that we learn a knight's true nature, whether he is indeed a warrior or a coward. Let the tournament begin!"

As usual, Arthur was the first to fight, against a knight who belonged to some vague fiefdom to the west of Camelot. Morgana dismissed the man from the list of knights she had to watch; she didn't expect anyone except Valiant to stand a chance against Arthur. Time proved her right as Arthur easily disarmed the knight and forced him to yield. The crowd erupted in cheering applause as Arthur waved to them; though he wasn't exactly the most intelligent man, he always knew how to please the crowd, a useful characteristic to have if he was going to be king some day. She however was not falling for the act, but she still forced a smile as she clapped politely. Acting the part of the perfect princess was something that was forced onto her years ago when she became Uther's ward, and she wore it like a second skin.

* * *

><p>The first day of the tournament passed quickly for Merlin, and to his surprise, he was actually enjoying himself. It was a grand spectacle that he would have never imagined back in Ealdor. The crowds themselves astonished Merlin. He never knew that so many people could sit together at once; they were like a sea of faces, and they were all cheering for Arthur. Despite himself, he started cheering for Arthur as well as he waved in Merlin's general direction.<p>

Merlin did not know much about swordplay, but as the day wore on, he noticed one knight that stood out among the others. He had a strange shield with the emblem of three snakes that intertwined with each other. This one knight seemed to defeat his opponents with ease, and Merlin noticed Arthur watching him too. He walked over to the prince, who was watching the fight with an eagled eyed gaze.

"That man looks pretty handy with a sword," remarked Merlin.

"His name is Ser Valiant," replied Arthur without taking his eyes off the fight. "He fought in the Great Purge ten years ago."

Merlin did not reply as he watched Valiant hit his opponent directly on the face with his shield, sending the other knight to the ground. The man seemed to be knocked out cold and Uther declared Valiant to be the victor. He tensed himself as Valiant strode over in his direction.

"I wish to offer my congratulations on your victories today," said Valiant smoothly.

"Likewise," said Arthur curtly.

"I hope to see you at the reception this evening milord," said Valiant. "After all, it's not every day one gets to meet the best warrior in all of Camelot."

"He seemed rather shady to me," said Merlin as Valiant left. Privately he was scared that someone who was part of the Great Purge would be able to sense magic.

"I think it's time to let you in on a secret Merlin," said Arthur in a conspiratorial tone.

"What's that?" asked Merlin curiously.

"I hate people who grovel," growled Arthur. "And it's worse when it comes from a knight; he's not worthy of that title."

"Is that why you like me so much," laughed Merlin in spite of himself.

Arthur turned around to look at his servant like it was the first time he had seen him clearly. There was a wry smile on his face and Merlin suddenly felt as if he just dug a hole for himself.

"Why Merlin, I do like you!" remarked Arthur with an extremely sarcastic tone in his voice. "In fact, I love giving you tasks to do. Today you will need to polish every individual piece of my armour, sharpen my sword, repair the damaged straps on my shield and wash all of my clothes."

Merlin muttered under his breath as he went on to do as Arthur asked; he should just have stayed quiet.

* * *

><p>Merlin decided he had enough of Arthur's chores. He was a warlock, not a servant, and yet he was forced to do these idiotic and menial tasks. That was when he put the two together. If he had magic, why not use it to do his chores? It's not like a magically sharpened blade would be any worse than one done by hand.<p>

Merlin decided to read Gaius's book of spells while Arthur's clothes and armour cleaned and polished themselves. Finally he could relax and delve into the study of magic; this was what his life should have been like. Merlin was so engrossed the book that he didn't notice the footsteps approach until his door swung open.

"What've I told you about using magic like this?" said Gaius, fury lacing his voice.

"I've been working for Arthur for hours without getting a chance to catch my breath, surely I deserve some relaxation."

"Never mind your relaxation, what if someone else saw you!" yelled Gaius.

"What would you do," asked Merlin curiously.

"We best hope it doesn't come down to that," said Gaius solemnly. "Now clean the rest by hand."

* * *

><p>Morgana stood by Uther's side as the remaining knights walked up one by one to greet the King. No doubt he was trying to find yet another potential husband for her again. She wasn't even listening now, instead focusing on the events of the day while Uther droned on about the men standing before her. Of all the other knights she had seen today, only one knight called Ser Ewan seemed to have the skill to challenge Valiant. It would be no good if Valiant fell to another man before he had the chance to fight Arthur. Her mind snapped back to the present as she saw Ser Valiant approach Uther.<p>

"I saw you fighting today. You have a very aggressive style with your shield," remarked Uther. "Have I seen you somewhere before?"

"Sire, I'm Ser Valiant of the Western Isles," responded Valiant. "I fought alongside my father during the Great Purge."

"Ah, so you're a true hero as well as a great warrior!" said Uther in a comradely fashion. "May I present the Lady Morgana, my ward."

"My lady," said Valiant, there was a slight gleam in his eyes as he bent down to kiss her hand.

"I saw you competing today. You fought well," said Morgana in a very formal tone. If she did not sound uninterested, Uther would probably bring up the subject of marriage again.

"I saw you watching," replied Valiant. To his credit, she could hear no change in his voice; maybe he was a better actor than she expected. "I understand the tournament champion has the honour of escorting milady to the feast."

"That's correct, and Prince Arthur has had the honour of taking me to every feast for the last three years," said Morgana, giving a slight focus on the word 'honour' as she stole a quick look at Arthur's face to see his reaction. To her annoyance, it appeared that he was indifferent.

"If the gods favour me tomorrow, that will change," said Valiant with a flourish as he left to talk to the other knights.

As Valiant left, Morgana saw Arthur walk over with a scowl on his face; maybe he did care after all.

"They all seem rather impressed by Ser Valiant," said Morgana casually, gauging the emotions on Arthur's face as she did so.

"They're not the only ones," said Arthur. Morgana almost got the feeling that Arthur was trying to be protective.

"Still, he's older than you are, and unfortunately you're still the superior swordsman," remarked Morgana. There was no harm in making Arthur underestimate his opponent after all.

"I'll defeat him, and you won't have anyone to dance with at the feast," said Arthur with a grin. "I must go rest Morgana; I will see you again in the morning."

Morgana watched Arthur turn back and walk towards his chambers. Was there any man on Earth who was more maddening than Arthur Pendragon? She suspected the answer was no, and after his statement, she was more determined to make him lose than she was before. When at last nobody was watching her, she gave a glance at Ser Valiant, who caught the look in his direction and she motioned for the knight to follow her.

* * *

><p>Merlin was enjoying the festivities after Arthur had gone to get some rest. Something about sleep being a better weapon than any sword. Personally, Merlin preferred to sneak a few bites from the dishes at the table while nobody was looking. He was also enjoying watching the Lady Morgana talk to the various knights.<p>

'How was it possible that someone could walk like that? It was almost as if she was gliding,' thought Merlin as he put an entire strawberry in his mouth.

However, as the night wore on he saw her slip out of the room, and he was suddenly very curious. He decided to defy common sense and slowly followed her out of the room. To his great surprise, he saw her walking down an empty corridor alongside Ser Valiant. He tried to listen in on the conversation, but they were talking too quietly for him to hear anything. As the two parted ways in the middle of the castle, Merlin felt an urge to follow Valiant instead. He wondered if there was something else this Valiant had to hide. After all, it would probably take a great deal to impress the Lady Morgana to the point where she would have a private conversation to him.

Merlin slipped behind a tall pillar as Valiant went to his designated chambers and locked his door with a loud click. Merlin grinned to himself; the locks may keep people out, but you could still peer through the keyhole. As he walked over to the door however, he started hearing a strange hiss. He put his eye to the keyhole to see exactly what Valiant was up to. The first thing that greeted his eyes was the sight of the shield. The intertwined snakes had come alive, and Valiant was feeding them a mouse. He stumbled in horror and ran back to his chambers. To the young warlock it was obvious; Valiant intended to use the snakes to kill Arthur.

* * *

><p>Kilgaharrah laughed as he saw the events unfold. It was not often that fate presents him with such an opportunity to rid himself of his deadliest enemy; it almost seemed like the gods themselves were aiding him. The great fire drake had been watching Morgana's little scheme, and now he finally had the excuse he needed. Focusing within himself, he sent out a call to the warlock.<p>

_Merlin!_

The voice he used took every ounce of strength. It was hard to communicate to humans as it was, but the fear that Merlin felt at the present only made it harder to get through to the foolish boy. However, Merlin did not disappoint, and soon he showed up in the entrance of the cave.

"I've just seen something horrible, and I think I need your help," said Merlin hurriedly. "The knight, Valiant, he intends to kill Arthur!"

"Tell me young warlock, do you think this Valiant acts alone?" said Kilgaharrah heavily. It was so hard to convey the human emotion of regret, but it seemed the warlock was buying his act.

"What do you mean?" stammered Merlin. "There's someone helping him?"

Not for the first time, the Dragon wished the warlock was slightly more intelligent. He saw Morgana talk to the knight, surely he could at least try to string the two together. His argument would be weaker if he told the warlock himself; it would be better to let Merlin come to his own conclusions.

"Merlin, you know who it is that stands to gain the most from Arthur's death," said the dragon in a sagely voice.

"No, no, it can't be Morgana!" cried Merlin. "She wouldn't do something like that!"

The dragon almost smiled in spite of itself; that would have been fatal. Finally, victory was within his grasp! Instead, he tried to replicate the look of regret again.

"Uther treats her like a daughter," said Kilgaharrah. "If Arthur were to perish, Uther would have but one choice; he would be compelled to give the position of heir to Morgana, in order to repay the debt that he owes to Lord Gorlois."

Kilgaharrah knew that he must keep the truth from the warlock. After all, he could not risk Merlin siding with Morgana in case he decided that she was the rightful heir; the image of Merlin wearing the crown was warning enough.

"No!" cried Merlin again.

"Search your heart; you know what you must do," said the dragon, allowing a hint of sadness to lace his voice.

The warlock did not answer him as he ran back the way he came.

* * *

><p>Merlin scrambled through the castle, he didn't know where he was going, and he didn't care. One part of his mind was telling him to stop Morgana's scheme, but another part was questioning if he should save Arthur at all. It was Arthur who almost killed him with a flail, and Morgana rescued him!<p>

Suddenly, he decided there was only one right course of action. He would confront Morgana himself and decide what to do with the whole truth. With this in mind, he marched towards the ward's chambers. Most of the guards were still at the reception in the great hall and he was able to reach Morgana's chambers unhindered. He opened the doors with both hands, startling Gwen into dropping a candle.

"Morgana, are you working with Valiant? I saw you talking to him, so there's no hiding it from me!" shouted Merlin.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Well, do you guys like this storyline? I know I said I wouldn't change the plot too much, but this episode was always rather painful for me to watch because of how stupid Valiant was and the solution was some deus ex machina spell that saved the day. Not to mention that I thought it was a good idea to develop Morgana's character more; you don't go from a girl screaming from nightmares to someone who plots a Coup d'état against Uther in one episode. Anyway, please review if you have time, I really enjoy reading the detailed ones and replying to them.

[1] Anyone want to guess what's actually the full inscription on Lady Vivienne's tomb? Hint: look at her daughters. You just have to make a vague guess at what's on my mind and if it's close you get a virtual cookie.


	3. A Shield in the Shadows II

**Chapter 3: A Shield in the Shadows (Part 2)**

**Disclaimer: **I forgot to write these for my previous chapters, but I'll remember from now on. All characters here belong to BBC, and I do not own Merlin. If I did, this would be what happens in the show :P.

* * *

><p>Morgana decided to retire to her chambers early; she had a long day ahead of her, and she needed to make sure Valiant did exactly as he was told. As she lay on the soft feathered bed, she wondered if she had done the right thing. It was going to hurt Arthur immensely if he lost, and Uther would certainly not forgive him for it. In Uther's eyes, losing was the equivalent of being 'unworthy of the crown'. Her memory drifted back further and as she remembered how Arthur had nearly killed his future servant with a flail for insulting him, she hardened her heart again. Arthur needed to understand the meaning of humility, least he turned into a mirror image of his father. Besides, driving a wedge between Arthur and Uther was not necessarily a bad thing. Knowing what she was doing was for Arthur's sake, she slowly drifted off into a deep sleep.<p>

_It was the arena, and only two contestants remained. It was Valiant and Arthur, for one carried a shield of intertwined snakes, the other the proud dragons of Camelot. Valiant and Arthur were locked in combat. It was obvious to her that Arthur was the more agile man, and he danced around Valiant as the crowd roared in approval. Suddenly Valiant leapt forwards and slammed his shield into Arthur. Her vision blurs and now Arthur lies unmoving on the ground._

"Morgana, are you working with Valiant?" I saw you talking to him, so there's no hiding it from me," shouted a strange voice. Morgana didn't recognise it, but she sat up instantly as she shook off the strange dream.

"What is the meaning of this?" asked Morgana angrily as she saw Arthur's serving boy standing in her doorway. She froze as she remembered that this was the same boy who resisted the witch's spell at the previous feast.

"Tell me the truth," said Merlin angrily. "I saw you talking to Valiant, don't lie to me!"

"I merely congratulated him on his victories today," protested Morgana. She burrowed her brow to pretend that she was confused. If this boy truly had magic, she had no doubt that he could kill her whenever he wished. However, having someone with his powers at her side would be very useful, and she was determined to get the boy to trust her.

"If you aren't telling me the truth..." said Merlin, who was now getting more perplexed by the minute. "Arthur could die."

"I don't understand," said Morgana. She was actually confused now; surely Valiant was not stupid enough to try and kill Arthur. Why, Uther would have him executed on the spot.

"Valiant's shield is enchanted!" said Merlin quickly. He almost seemed relieved, and Morgana could see that he genuinely believed that she was plotting to kill Arthur before. "His shield has magical snakes that can come out when he commands them to."

Morgana was shocked into silence. And she was even impressed by him on their first meeting; she actually thought the man was brave for standing up to her. Trust that idiot knight to try and kill a Prince with sorcery in Camelot. Was there no end to his stupidity?

"Thank you for coming to me with this information Merlin, even if you did invade my private chambers in the middle of the night," said Morgana with a reassuring smile.

"So what are we going to do about it?" asked Merlin. Morgana could tell that he still suspected her; she needed to gain his trust if she was to ensure that he didn't voice his suspicions to anyone.

"We need to remove that shield," said Morgana authoritatively. "He is from the Western Isles, and I do recall a section in the armoury where all the shields of the various noble houses of Camelot are kept; you only have to retrieve that shield and replace Valiant's current one with it."

"But why can't we just tell the king?" asked Merlin as he scratched his head. "Maybe he wouldn't believe me, but if we both went together..."

Morgana gave a chuckle, and the boy grinned in return as if he just realised how idiotic his statement sounded. Lying directly to the king was far too risky, and it would also mean that Arthur would win the tournament. To Morgana, this was not an acceptable outcome.

"Please, exactly how would I explain to the king why I saw something in Valiant's chambers in the first place?" asked Morgana with a laugh. "Perhaps you want me to say that I was sleeping with him? I'm sure that would get him executed, regardless of his other crimes."

The boy turned red with embarrassment and even Gwen gave a small chuckle. Good, she was slowly getting though to him, and now all she had to do was to convince him to do as she asked.

"Valiant might notice that shield wasn't his," stammered Merlin. The poor boy was definitely not the brightest spark in the room, to put it lightly. She wondered at this moment if he really had magic; perhaps he was just acting the idiot to avoid suspicion. That would be what she would do if she was in his position.

"It does not matter what he notices," explained Morgana. "If he was seen looking for another shield while he had a perfectly good one in his possession, it would raise suspicions. He wouldn't dare draw too much attention to himself now that he's in the second round of the tournament."

She smiled in satisfaction as she saw a small 'O' form on Merlin's mouth. She knew he would come around to her way of thinking, and now she just needed to make sure everything goes according to plan.

"Merlin is it?" asked Morgana politely. "I know you've already met my maidservant Gwen. She's the blacksmith daughter, so the guards will not question her if she asks for access to the armoury and say she's there to collect some pieces to repair."

Merlin nodded enthusiastically, he was obviously very loyal to Arthur if he was willing to risk so much for him. After all, the crime of stealing from the crown carried a very heavy sentence.

"But what would I tell the guards? Why do I need to be there in the first place?" asked Merlin.

"Tell them that you're there to help her carry the heavier items," said Morgana. While Gwen was perfectly capable of accomplishing this task by herself, she wanted Merlin to feel involved; it would be the easiest way ensure that he kept his mouth shut. "Make sure you take other pieces of armour as well, so you do not draw attention to the shield."

"I'll meet you at my house tomorrow after you've armed Arthur for the tournament," said Gwen, quickly jumping in on the plan. "You'll need a good night's sleep before we do this."

"I'll be there Gwen," said Merlin as he turned around to leave the room, satisfied with details of the plan. He paused at the doorway to turn back and look Morgana in the eyes. "I'm so sorry for erm, invading your chambers at this hour."

"It's quite alright," said Morgana as she flashed Merlin her best smile. She could also see him melt under her gaze. "You did what you thought was right, and I respect that. You're a true man of honour, unlike many of those who were given the title 'Ser' because of their blood."

Merlin was grinning from ear to ear as he finally left her in peace. Morgana laid back and slowly drifted off to sleep as she planned out her revenge on Valiant. He would regret not telling her the whole truth, and for attempting to kill Arthur who, despite everything, was like a brother to her.

* * *

><p>Kilgaharrah roared with rage as he saw the chain of events unfold. Of all the things the boy could have done, he decided to confront the witch. What kind of idiot was he! He should have realised that if Morgana was truly trying to kill Arthur, she would have just had Uther execute him for being in her chambers. He cursed his own arrogance; he thought he knew the warlock but yet again the boy had proven him wrong.<p>

Fate has conspired against him this time and now Merlin even trusted Morgana. The great fire drake wondered if he should summon the boy again and tell him about Morgana's true plan to humiliate Arthur, but decided against it. It would only weaken his own position; the boy would realise that he had been lying to him. Kilgaharrah gave a huge sigh, but settled back on his rock as he thought of other alternatives; as men said, patience was a virtue, and time would give him other opportunities.

* * *

><p>Merlin walked along the path to Gwen's house, whistling cheerfully to himself as he did so. He had just finished arming Arthur, who almost seemed impressed at the speed at which he learned to put a man's armour on. In his haste to go out and fight in the tournament, Arthur had even forgotten to give him errands to run. If only he had time to enjoy his free hours; he remembered the events of last night with perfect clarity and still felt the shame burning on his cheeks. She saved him, and he accused her of treason against the crown; the way she forgave him only made him realise how much of an idiot he was. He sighed as he wished he knew how to make it up to her. For now, following her plan to save Arthur was probably the best thing he could do.<p>

He knocked on Gwen's door, and she quickly opened it for him. On the bed, there were the clothes of a blacksmith's apprentice, and Merlin assumed that they were for him.

"So I need to change into those clothes right?" asked Merlin uncomfortably.

"Yes, else the guards might wonder why Arthur's serving boy is being the pack mule of the blacksmith's daughter," said Gwen with a smile on her face.

"Oh right," said Merlin. "Umm you better turn around then."

Gwen gave a light laugh before showing Merlin where the screen was. There was a slight twinkle in her eyes as Merlin slipped into the new garments hurriedly. They didn't fit all that well, but he guessed it would have to do. Merlin did his best to look confidant and the two servants marched towards the armoury.

"Halt," commanded the gate guard. "What business do you have in the armoury?"

"My father received a few orders yesterday, he was told that quite a few pieces were damaged during the tournament, and that he was to repair them as soon as possible," said Gwen smoothly.

"Ah yes, the blacksmith's daughter is it?" asked the guard. "Go on in then."

Merlin breathed a sigh of relief as the guards unlocked the gates and motioned for them to go in. He half-expected them to ask for documents, but it seemed that they knew Gwen well enough to let her in without asking any further questions. Besides, they probably didn't think anyone would be stupid enough to steal anything; it wasn't as if you could just sell it off in the market.

"Alright Merlin, you can go look around for damaged pieces of armour, there should be plenty in here," said Gwen. "I'll go look for the shield."

"Already on it Gwen, let's just hurry up and get this done soon," said Merlin nervously. He was not sure if it was a good idea to stay down for too long just in case the guards began to get suspicious.

Fortunately Gwen did not disappoint, and she soon returned with a shield that looked almost exactly like the one Valiant used. Together, they bundled up the shield along with various other damaged shields and pieces of armour, and walked back through the gate. Merlin could barely hold on to the various pieces as the guards chuckled at him as he struggled to carry his extremely heavy load.

* * *

><p>Morgana walked down the hallway to the preparation tents, dressed in a cloak in order to maintain a lower profile. While she seemed perfectly calm on the outside, her thoughts were anything but calm. Just the thought of Valiant's idiotic plot to defeat Arthur with his magical shield made her blood boil. She walked quickly towards the preparation tents in order to catch Valiant before his first bout; she needed to have a talk with the senseless knight before did any irreversible damage.<p>

She stormed into the tent, startling Valiant as he grabbed his sword and made for the exit.

"My lady, this is an unexpected surprise," said Valiant in a gallant tone.

"I just wanted to say that you need to be careful if you fight Arthur today," said Morgana smoothly. "He's dangerous not just because of his skill, but also because of his position."

"What do you mean?" asked Valiant in a confused tone.

"Think of what Uther would do to you if you harmed Arthur in any way," said Morgana with a concerned voice. "If you were to harm him seriously, what do you think the king would do to you?"

"What would he do?" said Valiant with a shaky voice. He paled slightly as he finally realised the implications.

"He would have you executed for wounding the crown prince for one; afterwards he could strip your entire family of their titles, if he does not order all of them to be killed as well," said Morgana in a very casual tone. "Uther is a very protective man when it comes to his son."

"I-I'll keep what you said in mind milady," stuttered Valiant. Morgana noticed his hand clenched tightly around his shield as he said his words.

"See that you do, for I would hate it if any harm befell you," said Morgana.

The King's Ward turned around and swiftly left the tent, leaving behind a shaken knight.

* * *

><p>Merlin hurried back from Guinevere's house to the arena, and arrived just in time to see Valiant begin his bout between him and someone called Ser Ewan. Fortunately, Arthur has not noticed that he had not been here for the last hour; he was too busy watching the fight, intent on studying his potential opponents. As Merlin looked up to see the scoreboard he noticed that while he was gone, Arthur had secured a place in the finals.<p>

He quickly turned his eyes back to the two knights in the arena. To his surprise, the two seemed evenly matched, with neither one gaining a significant advantage as they tested the other's defences. Suddenly Valiant seemed to trip over something, and the crowd gave out a gasp as Ser Ewan leapt forwards to seize his advantage. Valiant swung his shield directly into the charging knight just in time, and the fearsome blow knocked Ser Ewan to the ground. The crowd gave a loud cheer as Valiant threw himself atop the other knight, using his weight to pin the smaller man to the ground. However, Merlin knew that the fight was not over; according to the rules, the loser had to yield or be in a position where he would be dead if it was real combat. At that moment in time the two knights were at an impasse, with neither one being able to gain any ground on their opponent.

Merlin frowned as he suddenly saw Ser Ewan's body twitch and go limp, before Valiant used the hilt of his sword and smashed it onto the other knight's helmet. The fight was over as soon as it had begun, but Merlin knew that somehow, the snakes had been used; the problem was that nobody else had seen the telltale signs.

"I think he's badly hurt," said Merlin as he saw Gaius walk over to the knight.

"It's too late Merlin, the man is dead," said Gaius in a grim tone. "These tournaments are more dangerous than they look."

The only thing Merlin could do was nod his head in silent response. He saw Valiant limping from the fight as his servant rushed over to help him; Merlin hoped he was injured badly enough so he would be forced withdraw.

* * *

><p>Night has fallen, and Merlin tip-toed through the silent and empty castle whilst carrying the replacement shield. The halls seemed so vast when there was no one around, and Merlin felt a shiver creep up his spine as he heard every small sound that he made echo through the empty halls.<p>

He slowly made his way over to Valiant's chambers, avoiding the few patrols of guards that he saw along the way with ease. They never looked over their shoulders, and Merlin gave thanks to whatever gods were out there for their lack of perception. Soon he reached the door, only to find that it was locked. He smiled to himself; this was why he had told Gwen that he should be the one to sneak the shield into Valiant's chambers while she could repair the armour they had taken. He focused his attention on the lock and willed the pins to click into place, as if there was a key turning them. With a soft 'click', the door was unlocked and Merlin slowly pushed the door open.

As Merlin entered the room, he saw Valiant turn in his bed; the man was asleep for now, but the sight of him moving at all made Merlin very uneasy. He considered moving towards the shield, but decided that he should use the abilities he already possessed rather than trying to creep in the shadows like a thief. Focusing his powers once more, he willed the magical shield to move up and float towards him. For safely, Merlin flipped the shield around so that the side with the handle was facing him rather than the side with the snakes; he didn't not want to risk getting bitten after all. It seemed to take an age for the shield to finally come close enough for him to reach out and grasp the handle. Merlin then levitated the other shield into the same place the original one had been in just moments before. He was slightly more confidant this time, and he slipped the ordinary shield into position with one flawless motion.

As he turned to leave the room however, he heard a sickening 'clang' as the shield slipped from its stand and fall to the ground with what seemed like an earth shattering noise. The warlock froze as he heard Valiant groan. For a moment, Merlin wondered if he had to defend himself; he never had to use magic to kill someone before. However it would be a simple matter to use his powers and choke a man to death with an invisible hand. Still, the thought of using his powers to kill somehow sickened him, and he breathed a sigh of relief as Valiant's breathing slowed down once more.

The warlock shut the door behind him and locked the door again; he hoped that the knight wouldn't question why the shield had slipped when he woke up tomorrow morning. Forcing the thought from his mind, he hurried towards Gwen's house so he could give her the shield; he had done the hard part, now all she had to do was to get rid of it.

* * *

><p>It was the last day of the tournament, and Morgana woke up from what seemed like the best sleep she had in weeks. Usually her dreams showed her disturbing visions, but she had none last night. She smiled to herself as Gwen came into the room and began to help her dress for the coming day.<p>

"I suppose your adventure yesterday went flawlessly?" asked Morgana as she heard Gwen hum a rather cheerful tune.

"Oh yes, Merlin stole the shield from Valiant's chambers last night," said Gwen happily. "I put it in the forge as soon as he gave it to me; the snakes came alive as the cursed thing burned."

"Merlin did that all by himself?" asked Morgana with a raised eyebrow. "I'm impressed; he didn't seem like the type who could move around unnoticed."

"You give him too little credit milady," said Gwen with a smile on her face.

"I'm glad you like him," teased Morgana. "I suspect he's already smitten with you."

"Um, so what about Arthur?" asked Gwen hurriedly as she tried to change the subject.

"Well he's not in mortal danger, so I don't see why he can't have his first lesson on the concept of humility," said Morgana with an indifferent voice.

"You're not going to tell him what Valiant did?" said Gwen in a shocked voice. "He killed Ser Ewan!"

"I've made sure that Valiant does not harm Arthur in any way," said Morgana with a smirk on her face. "And his shield is no longer a problem, thanks to you and Merlin."

Gwen remained silent as she did up the fastenings on Morgana's elaborate purple dress. Morgana somehow thought that her maid was displeased with her course of action, but she quickly dismissed that thought. Morgana always thought Gwen was far too caring for her own good; trust her to get upset over the death of some unknown knight. However, she would make Valiant pay for lying to her face and for plotting to kill Arthur, but only after he had defeated the snobbish prince.

* * *

><p>Morgana observed the two men before her as Uther gave a final speech to the last two knights on the field. On her right was Arthur, staring at her with a smug face as he looked into her eyes with a piercing gaze. She had no idea why she cared for him; he was arrogant, acted like a child and tried to prove his superiority over her every time they met. Yet despite everything, he seemed to be very possessive where she was concerned.<p>

For a moment, Morgana wondered if there could be a man who would fight for his people because he loved them, not because he desired their adoration and praise. She shook her head with regret as she realised she had just described her father. Idealistic men like him did not linger in the world for long; they trusted too readily and it would always come around to bite them in the end.

'My father should have been King, not Uther,' thought Morgana bitterly.

She mentally sighed in frustration at her own emotions as she moved her gaze towards the other man on the field. Valiant, unlike Arthur, was trying to look everywhere except in her direction; maybe he regretted going behind her back, or perhaps he just didn't want to look at her after the way he killed Ser Ewan yesterday. Whatever the case, he would pay for trying to kill Arthur; he just didn't know it yet.

"And so it comes down to this, the two finest warriors in all of Camelot," said Uther with a proud voice. "One of you will walk away with glory today, while the other will have the honour of fighting the best knight in all of Camelot. May the best warrior win!"

Arthur and Valiant turned to face each other, and Valiant deliberately let everyone see that he was limping with his right leg. The crowds were silent as they watched the two men circle each other; to his credit, Valiant made every movement look painful, as if his leg was seriously injured from his fight yesterday.

Arthur suddenly threw down his shield, and instead held his sword with two hands.

"There is no honour in defeating a crippled man," shouted Arthur to the cheering crowds. "So I will cripple myself in return."

Just as he finished, Valiant lunged forwards and slammed his shield into Arthur's sword. Before Arthur could recover, Valiant head butted Arthur and knocked him to the ground before pointing his sword at Arthur's throat. The Prince seemed to be shocked into silence by the chain of events, as if he could not believe his eyes as to what was happening before him. Morgana tried to hide her smile, but it broke out anyway as she saw the look of dismay on Arthur's face.

"I proclaim Ser Valiant of the Western Isles as your new champion!" said Uther, his voice almost cracking as he saw his son on the ground, unharmed but utterly defeated.

* * *

><p>"You have failed me!" said Uther angrily. "You have failed the people of Camelot!"<p>

"Father I-," stammered Arthur.

"The people expect their future king to be the best warrior in the realm, but your actions today have shown them that you are not worthy to take the throne!" said Uther, rage flaring in his eyes. "Return to your chambers, and I do not wish to see you in my council chambers again until you have proven yourself to me!"

As Arthur stormed off towards his chambers, Morgana followed him quietly. The prince seemed to actually care about his father words, because she could almost see the tears in his eyes. It seems that underneath all those layers of arrogance and bravado, the boy she once knew still existed; the boy who craved for his father's approval. He slammed the door as soon as he got into his room, but Morgana went up and knocked on the door anyway.

"Go away Merlin, I don't need you now," shouted Arthur. It almost sounded like he was crying in there.

"It's me," said Morgana. "May I come in?"

She did not wait for an answer as she opened the door and took in the sight of the room. In the few seconds that Arthur had been in it, it seemed like almost everything that was breakable in the room was in pieces. As she eyes turned towards Arthur himself, even Morgana was shocked; he was actually crying.

"Come to gloat have you?" croaked Arthur. "I guess you will have someone to dance with at the feast after all."

"No, I came to see how you were," said Morgana with a smile on her face. She hadn't seen Arthur cry for years, and it really seemed to make him more human.

"Father was right, I'll never be a true leader," said Arthur bitterly. "I don't understand politics, and now the entire kingdom knows that I'm not even good with a sword."

"While I'm sure you were just pretending to be honourable today Arthur, the people loved you for it," said Morgana. "The day when you act with integrity and humility in every situation will be the day you are worthy of the throne."

"Humility?" said Arthur with a wry smile on his face. "Is that something I can eat? I'm starving right now you know."

"Humility means that you stay quiet and listen when someone more intelligent is giving you advice," said Morgana tartly.

"Now who's being boastful?" asked Arthur with a grin. His tears have already dried up, and he was back to being the royal arse.

"There's no harm in telling the truth," retorted Morgana. "Besides, you have to be humble after today; you were defeated by a cripple."

With that, she strode towards the doorway and left the room, knowing that once again, Arthur would have nothing to say in return.

* * *

><p>Merlin was supposed to be serving the guests at the victory feast, but he couldn't help but be transfixed by the image of Morgana dancing with Valiant. It wasn't possible for a human to move so gracefully, was it? He dared to imagine himself in Valiant's place for just a few moments...<p>

"Can you believe her?" asked Gwen with a concerned voice, cutting off Merlin's thoughts. "He's a murderer and she's dancing with him!"

"Well I guess she has to, because the winner gets to dance with the king's ward, am I right?" said Merlin dreamily before his mind suddenly snapped back to reality. "Wait, how is he dancing when his ankle is supposed to be sprained?"

"It probably wasn't as bad as it looked I guess," said Gwen hesitantly. Merlin frowned; he had the feeling that Gwen was hiding something from him, but he just couldn't think of a reason why.

"Well I'll get Gaius to check on him, just to see how bad it actually is," said Merlin. "Or maybe he's enduring the pain just to get the opportunity to dance with the Lady Morgana."

"Is that what you would do Merlin, if you were in his place," asked Gwen curiously.

"Without a doubt," replied Merlin.

After the dance, Merlin asked Gaius to tend to Valiant. The old man was surprised than Merlin was concerned about the knight, and was looking at Merlin as if he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"Why do you care so much Merlin?" asked Gaius suspiciously.

"Oh er, I just wanted to know how to fix a sprained ankle, I get them all the time myself you know," replied Merlin lamely. He doubted that Gaius bought his story, but his uncle did not ask any more questions.

He watched Gaius take the knight to his chambers, where he told Merlin exactly how to set the ankle. It was something involving ice and bandages; Merlin wasn't really interested as he just wanted to see how bad it was. It didn't look too severe and he suspected that Valiant was pretending that it was far worse than it actually was when he fought Arthur. He wondered why Valiant would pretend in the first place; he did have a magic shield to rely on after all. Merlin wondered for a second if the knight knew that he had replaced the shield, but he push the thought from his mind; all this treachery and deceit was making his head hurt.

* * *

><p>Morgana rode alongside Ser Valiant as he cantered out of Camelot on his black horse, with his servant following them closely on foot. Officially, she was sending the champion off, but she had something else in mind. Soon their horses finally reached the silent forest road, and Morgana knew it was the time to act.<p>

"I just wanted to thank you fo-" started Valiant.

Morgana did not wait for the man to finish; she plunged a beautiful dagger deep into the tendons in his neck, dealing a mortal blow. She hoped that none of the blood got on her clothes; it would be hard to explain that to Gwen. As Valiant fell off his horse, his serving boy was shocked still; his mouth agape as if he could not believe what had just happened. Before the boy had a chance to regain his senses, she swiftly stabbed the dagger through his ribcage and into his heart, killing the boy instantly. She felt pity for the servant as she pulled the dagger back out; he was simply in the wrong place with the wrong master. His death was unfortunate but she had to do what needed to be done, no matter how distasteful it may be.

Valiant turned his gaze towards Morgana as he lay on the ground; it seemed as if the man still did not know what had happened; he opened his mouth to whisper something that sounded like 'why?'

"You lied to me; you planned to kill Arthur," said Morgana with a calm and icy voice as she watched the life bleed out of the man. "And I can't risk you revealing our little secret, can I?"

With his last gasps of air, Valiant looked at his shield and whispered a command to it. Morgana merely laughed at him; he did not even notice that his shield had been replaced.

"It's not the same shield," said Morgana smugly as she watched the look of utter defeat appear on Valiant's face as he breathed his last.

When she was sure the man was dead, she quickly dismounted from her horse and wiped the dagger on the man's clothes. Her father had given the blade to her during one of his campaigns, and she did not want the blood to stain the steel. She took a look at the chest of gold Valiant had won and decided to hide it under the foliage; if anyone did find the two bodies, she wanted them to assume that it was a mere robbery. With that, Morgana turned around and rode back to Camelot, knowing she could rest easy now that the traitorous knight was dead.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So did you like it? Woe unto you if you try to hurt the people Morgana cares about. I was actually influenced by Katherine/Katerina from Vampire Diaries in this episode; she's another of my favourite characters. Leaving loose ends around is bad for your health.

Remember to review if you have time because they can actually change the direction my story goes in. Also, they give me more inspiration to write faster.

P.S I'll also be updating slower from now, probably about once a week because my university lectures have begun. Don't worry though; they'll probably be more interesting because I have time to think up even more plots and schemes for all the characters.


	4. Two Sides of the Board I

**Chapter 4: Two sides of the board (part 1)**

**Author's Note: **Thanks for the reviews again, even though the alerts didn't get sent out for Chapter 3, you guys rock, especially **Rya3SaberVltar** because he gave me an idea I wasn't planning to use. Also, I use Ser instead of Sir because I'm a fan of A Song of Fire and Ice, but if you guys don't like it, I'll edit it all back to 'Sir' to stay historically accurate (thought I'm pretty sure the term wasn't around in 500 C.E ish anyway).

* * *

><p>The Great Dragon mused as he wondered how he could regain Merlin's trust. He had not forgotten how his previous advice to the warlock had led him to confront Morgana directly, and as a result, Morgana had easily bent the boy to her will after a rather short conversation. As he pondered this unexpected turn of events, he suddenly realised what he had done wrong. It was now obvious to Kilgaharrah that Merlin was attracted to Morgan, and would never act against her unless there was irrefutable proof.<p>

However, Kilgaharrah had no doubts that Merlin would act against an enemy that was simple minded in her goal, an enemy like the sorceress at the great feast days before. This was an enemy that Kilgaharrah could create. If he could help the warlock defeat his newfound nemesis, no doubt the boy would trust his advice once more. With this in mind, the dragon focused hard of an image of a sorceress; once she was his greatest enemy. Now she was the key to the warlock's trust, and Kilgaharrah needed the boy more than anything else in the world.

* * *

><p>Nimueh, High Priestess of the Old Religion, stared at her scrying fount in awe of the creature that shone within. She did not think it was possible to use the mirror as a form of communication, but here he was, the lord of dragons, hoping to parley with her.<p>

"Well met, Nimueh," greeted the great beast. "Time has treated you well I see."

"You know as well as I do that those with magic do not age as common men do," said Nimueh in a bored voice. "I hope you didn't just interrupt my mediation for pleasantries."

"Indeed not," said the dragon with a great booming laugh.

"Then let's not waste any time," said Nimueh. "What is it that you want?"

"Once we fought as bitter enemies; you served Uther, and I fought for the survival of my people," said the dragon. "But you did not know that you had been deceived, did you?"

"I considered Uther Pendragon to be a dear friend," said Nimueh. "His betrayal was like a knife cutting into my own heart."

"Perhaps now is the time Uther paid for this crimes?" asked the dragon in suggestive tone.

"All those with magic are now scattered to the four winds, we could never hope to gather an army strong enough to challenge the forces of Camelot," said Nimueh with a bitter voice.

"You cannot win through strength of arms," said the dragon. "But all men have needs: food and water. Take away one and any kingdom or empire will fall, no matter how great their army is."

"How can one accomplish either?" asked Nimueh curiously.

"The water supply in Camelot comes from one source alone. I have the power to grant you the knowledge to summon a great beast to poison this source," said the dragon. "It is called an Afanc, a creature of the old world."

"If you have this knowledge, why have you not summoned it yourself?" asked Nimueh suspiciously.

"It requires one to place a physical object at the site where the creature is to be summoned," explained the dragon. "I am chained to my prison, and that is unlikely to change."

"Then I am ready," said Nimueh. "Give me the knowledge I need to bring Uther Pendragon to justice!"

She did not notice the glint in the dragon's eyes as the great beast thrust thousands of alien memories into her head; the rush of knowledge was like a whole new world that had been revealed to her. As the image of the dragon faded from the fount, Nimueh smiled to herself as she began her preparations; Uther Pendragon would rue the day he ever turned against the powers of the old world.

* * *

><p>Merlin hummed to himself as he walked though the markets with Gaius; it wasn't often that Arthur allowed him breaks, but he was still shaken from his loss at the previous tournament and was too busy training with the other knights to order Merlin around. Gaius however was not so cheerful; he had heard the news that one man had just fallen down on the streets, as if struck down by an invisible blow. He held up a hand to stop Merlin as they neared the location of the corpse; there was a large crowd gathered around the body. It seemed like that they were fearful of what struck him down but too curious to stay away at the same time. Gaius quickly dispersed the crowd before he knelt down to inspect the man; he checked the man for a pulse, but the physician did not expect to find one.<p>

"Why do you always get the most cheerful jobs Gaius?" asked Merlin sarcastically. "I'd be scared of going near that body if I were you."

"I'm the court physician, Merlin. This is part of my job," said Gaius. "Most of the time there's nothing to fear."

As Gaius turned the body face up, he suddenly jerked back as if he was slapped in the face. The body's skin was pallid, and the man's eyes were an eerie white that gazed into oblivion.

"What's with the pale skin and the strange eyes then?" said Merlin with a slight edge of fear in his voice.

"This might be one of the few times that you should be scared Merlin," said Gaius grimly. "Help me get the body onto the stretcher, and make sure that his face is covered; we don't want to make the people panic."

"Great, now I have to touch him?" protested Merlin. "We're so going to catch whatever this man had."

* * *

><p>As they carried the stretcher back to the castle, Merlin was glad that the body was fully covered. The memory of dead man's eyes seemed to burn itself into his memory, as if warning him that something terrible was about to happen.<p>

"Hello Merlin," said Gwen, snapping Merlin out of his desolate thoughts. "What are you doing?"

Merlin shot a look at Gaius, as if asking him if he could tell the truth; he barely noticed his Uncle give an inconspicuous shake of his head.

"Erm, I'm just moving something for Gaius," said Merlin hesitantly. He was always a terrible liar, but Gwen didn't seem to notice.

"It looks heavy, sure you don't want a hand?" asked Gwen helpfully.

"It isn't that bad, and did someone get you those flowers?" said Merlin hastily as he tried to change the subject.

"Oh I just picked these flowers for Mor... I mean the Lady Morgana," said Gwen. "She hasn't been feeling well these past few days since the tournament."

"Oh um, I hope she gets better soon!" said Merlin. He still hadn't forgiven himself for barging into her chambers just a few days ago.

"I hope she does, and you look like you need some cheering up as well," said Gwen jovially. "Here, take this purple flower... if you want it of course."

"Thanks," said Merlin as he took the flower and stuck it in his scarf. "Er, I have to go, this load isn't going anywhere by itself."

"I'll see you soon Merlin," said Gwen as she walked off towards Morgana's chambers.

Merlin couldn't help but feel a sickening thought in his stomach as he wondered what he could do if Morgana had caught the same disease as the dead man he was transporting.

* * *

><p><em>She could see his innocent brown eyes pleading for mercy as she thrust her dagger through his chest. She felt the cold metal scrap against his bones and slow as it met resistance in the boy's heart. Slowly, as if someone wanted to torment her with the last moments of the boy's life, she saw her hand pull away and watched as the life bled out of him.<em>

Morgana woke with a start, sweating as she tried to shake off the dream. She didn't want to kill the boy, but Valiant was a threat to Arthur and to her; he had to die. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if she could have found another way to kill the Knight without killing his servant as well.

"Bad dreams, milady?" said Gwen, interrupting Morgana's thoughts.

"It's nothing to be worried about," said Morgana in her calmest voice. The last thing she needed was Gwen to get concerned about her dreams yet again. "You look happy."

"I picked these flowers for you," said Gwen as she showed Morgana the flowers.

"That's very sweet of you Gwen, thank you," said Morgana. Despite everything, her maid's innocence always helped to cheer her up.

"Oh and the King probably wants you in the council meeting today; he said it was something about Ser Valiant," informed Gwen.

Morgana felt a stab of terror as she heard this new development. Did Uther suspect her, or did he just want her in attendance to maintain appearances. She hurriedly pushed the thought aside; either way, there was nothing she could do now.

"Help me get dressed then," said Morgana with a smile. "We wouldn't want to keep the king waiting."

Lost in her thoughts, Morgana did not notice as the flowers her maid just bought in began to wilt in the water.

* * *

><p>Merlin decided that he definitely did not like dead bodies at all. This was probably worse than usual because it didn't even look human anymore. He almost half expected the corpse to get up and grab him as he pulled one arm and tried to throw the man onto the examination table. He cringed as he heard a snapping sound; he must have broken a bone or two.<p>

"So any idea what killed this man?" asked Merlin nervously.

"I've never seen anything like this before," admitted Gaius. "I fear that something like this could never occur naturally."

"You think someone used magic to cause it?" asked Merlin. "Why would they do something like that?"

"Magic corrupts," said Gaius nervously "People use it for their own ends."

"I've heard some say that power corrupts as well," said Merlin defensively. "I don't believe magic is any more evil than a sword."

"Whatever the case, we need to protect these innocent people as well as we can," said Gaius sternly.

"What are we going to do then?" asked Merlin with sigh; he knew that his uncle was right yet again.

"We must trust that science can give us an answer before it's too late," said Gaius with a grim voice.

Just as Merlin was about to reply, he heard a rapid knock on his door.

"Merlin!" shouted Arthur from behind the door. "My father requests my presence in the throne room, and you better be there as well before he thinks you aren't doing your duties!"

Coming," replied Merlin hurriedly. Despite himself, he getting fond of the annoying prince; most other nobles would probably not have come to tell their servants to be on time.

* * *

><p>The guards at the door bowed respectfully as Morgana entered the throne room. Since they hadn't tried to arrest her, she supposed that meant that they had not managed to figure out who was behind the deaths of Valiant and his servant. She hurriedly took her place besides Uther as her guardian motioned for the messenger to begin.<p>

"Your Majesty, It appears that Ser Valiant never returned to the Western Isles," said a nervous messenger as he knelt before the king.

"What happened to him?" asked Uther.

"He was waylaid on the road by bandits, and it seemed that they were after his gold," replied the messenger. "Unfortunately, the rain yesterday seemed to have washed away all the tracks, so our scouts can't track down the perpetrators."

"I want this news to remain private," commanded Uther. "It would spark a panic among the outlying villages if they knew bandits could operate with impunity so close to Camelot."

Before Uther could continue, two knights burst into the room; they were carrying the body of some minor lord. Morgana pushed down a rising sense of revulsion as she saw the body; it was completely desiccated and the eyes were wide open, but the pupils had turned white.

"Forgive the interruption your grace," said the knights as they knelt before the king. "But this is a matter of urgency."

"I can see that," snapped Uther. "Summon the court physician at once; I want to know what he thinks of this."

With that, Uther Pendragon quickly dismissed everyone but Arthur from the court; it seemed that he was troubled by the corpse. Whatever the reason, Morgana was glad that something else had captured the King's attention; the sooner everyone forgot about Valiant the better.

* * *

><p>Merlin shuffled along uneasily as the court left; this was the second body of the day, and he had a sickening feeling that it was about to get worse. He wished the sorcerer who cast the spell wasn't such a fool; his or her actions merely justified Uther's ban of magic. How on earth was he ever meant to return magic to Albion if the magical and non magical people were always at each other's throats? He snapped himself out of his thoughts as the King began to speak; he was prone to mumbling out his thoughts and the last thing he needed was to say the wrong thing in front of the king.<p>

"Do you know what's happened to him?" asked Uther in a concerned voice.

"I don't know, your Grace," said Gaius hesitantly. "It's the second case I've seen today and I'm still not sure what causes it."

"But surely you have some ideas about its origins," pressed Uther. "Speak your mind Gaius; I want to know the truth."

"Your Grace, I have seen nothing like it," said Gaius heavily. "The victims are dying within a day, and its spreading fast."

"So am I to conclude that this is the work of sorcery then?" said Uther with anger. "Arthur, you will redeem yourself for your humiliating loss in the tournament by finding the sorcerer who did this."

"Yes father, I will leave at once," said Arthur, eager to regain his father's approval.

"You must move quickly, every minute is precious now," continued Uther. "This is the kind of magic that undermines our authority. If we cannot control this plague, the people will turn to magic for a cure, and I will not allow that as long as I sit upon this throne."

"I understand the importance of this task," said Arthur dutifully. "I will not fail you."

"See that you do not," replied Uther grimly. "Or I fear Camelot will perish before the week is done."

* * *

><p>Merlin hurried back to Gaius's chambers after the king dismissed Arthur. The Prince was going to search every house in the city, but somehow Merlin didn't think that someone who could create a killer plague would let themselves be caught by guards. As he entered the physician's room, he saw Gaius mixing strange concoctions in a vial.<p>

"What are you doing Gaius?" asked Merlin.

"I'm examining the contents of our latest victim's stomach," replied Gaius. "Unfortunately I have no results so far."

"Why not try using magic to cure it?" said Merlin exasperatedly. "I'm sure nobody will notice if you make a fake cure and use magic instead."

"The king would have our heads if he finds out," said Gaius angrily. "I'll have no more talk of using magic."

"So the King is willing to let hundreds die just because he hates magic," protested Merlin. "He doesn't deserve to be king."

"Merlin, watch your mouth!" said Gaius fearfully. "It's high treason to talk like that, and if anyone overhears you your head will be on the executioner's block within minutes."

"Maybe if he didn't execute everyone who disagreed with him, we wouldn't have this plague in the first place," said Merlin bitterly. Merlin stormed off to his room; he was not going to let innocent people suffer just because Uther had some deep seated hatred of magic. He found the old spellbook that Gaius gave him and slowly turned the fragile pages; the warlock knew that there had to be a spell that could cure the plague.

* * *

><p>Morgana sighed in frustration at her guardian's actions; Uther had ordered the lower town to be cordoned off after Arthur's search the night before did not turn up anything. Hundreds have already caught the plague and yet Uther still refuses to consider using magic to cure a magical plague. She even heard about riots breaking out in the lower town; it seemed like it was an act of desperation by men and women who had nothing left to lose. Lost in her thoughts, Morgana did not notice her maid shuffle into the room until Gwen bent down to collect a vase that now contained dead flowers.<p>

"Gwen, I didn't notice you come in," said Morgana. She furrowed her brow in concern as she saw that there were tears in Guinevere's eyes.

"It's my father," choked Gwen. "He has the plague."

"I'm sure Gaius will have the cure soon enough," said Morgana reassuringly, even though she did not believe in her own words.

"Should I go see him now?" asked Gwen. "There might be hope for my father if Gaius is close to a cure."

"No, you've done enough today," said Morgana gently. "I'll go see Gaius and see if he's made any progress."

With that, Morgana walked out of her chambers and turned directly towards the throne room. If none of Uther's so called 'advisors' was willing to make him see reason, she would do it herself.

* * *

><p>Merlin stood in the throne room by Gaius's side as the King discussed the plague with his uncle. He spent almost all of yesterday looking for a spell to cure the plague, but the only one he had found didn't seem like it would do the job. However, he hadn't had the chance to test it yet on any of Gaius's patients; the old man was probably trying to prevent him from using any magic at all.<p>

"So you're certain the plague comes from the water supply?" asked Uther.

"I'm sure of it your Grace," replied Gaius. "We can't drink the poisoned water, but without water we'll all be dead within three days."

"We have to find this sorcerer!" said Uther, an edge of frenzy creeping into his voice.

"I've already searched all of Camelot, but they don't seem to be here," said Arthur nervously. "I've ordered our men to search the outlying villages, but that'll take time I'm afraid we don't have."

Before the men could continue, the doors to the throne room were pushed open by none other than the Lady Morgana. The guards seemed frantic, but she ignored them like they were mere insects.

"Morgana," snapped Uther. "I did not call for you; this is no place for a woman."

"Forgive me your Grace, but it appears to me that the answer to our current dilemma is simple," said Morgana curtly. "If we are to cure the plague, we will need the same power that created it in the first place."

"I purged magic from the lands for a reason!" said Uther angrily. "I will not welcome it back with open arms after all I have done to ensure that their accursed religion is dead."

"You can either rule a kingdom with magic, or within a week you will rule a kingdom of dust and bones," retorted Morgana. "Because you know as well as I do that magic is the only thing that can save your people now."

"Silence!" shouted Uther. To Merlin, it seemed that the King was close to breaking; he doubted it would be good for Morgana if she continued with her argument.

"Why, am I starting to make sense?" asked Morgana haughtily.

"You will return to your chambers and remain there until I say otherwise," commanded Uther in a threatening tone. "Otherwise I will withdraw the promise I made to your father."

Without another word, Morgana turned around and marched out of the throne room, leaving an infuriated king with Arthur. Merlin was not sure what Morgana hoped to achieve with her speech to Uther, but he felt it in his gut she had a plan of some kind. When the court session was finally over, he slipped out and headed towards her chambers; he needed all the help he could get if he was to stop the plague before it was too late. Besides, Morgana seemed like the one person in Camelot who did not view his abilities as if it was a curse.

* * *

><p>Morgana sat down in front of one her mirrors and let one of her maids tend to her hair as she wondered what she could do to fix the current situation. She had dismissed Gwen as soon as she got back so that her friend could be with her father; it would probably be the last moments she had with him. A soft knock cut her from her dismal thoughts and a clear voice sounded though the wood.<p>

"Ummm it's Merlin milady," said Merlin outside the door. "May I please come in?"

Morgana quickly ran though her options; it would be scandalous if she let male servant enter her chambers, and most of her maids did not seem like they could keep secrets. On the other hand, if her suspicions about the boy were correct, he could prove to be the one person who could end the plague. The good clearly outweighed the bad in this case, and so she made her decision.

"Come in," said Morgana in a commanding voice. She didn't fail to hear her maid's gasp of surprise; she would have to find some way to deal with her later.

Merlin walked into the room and quickly closed the door behind him. Morgana thought that the look on his face as he saw that there was someone else in the room was almost worth the price of letting him in.

"Erm, I was hoping we could have a private conver..." started Merlin hesitantly.

"I just wanted to know the prince's opinion on when the cure will be ready," said Morgana curtly, cutting Merlin off before he could do any more damage. "One of my maids, Gwen, has returned to the lower town because her father has the plague, and I would hate to see her lose her father."

Morgana smiled inwardly as she saw the shock appear on Merlin's face; she knew that he considered Gwen a friend. If he truly had magic, then hopefully he would be able to use his powers and slow the plague in some way. However, she doubted that her maid would buy the implication that Merlin was just here to deliver a message from the prince; Merlin's earlier statement ruined any pretence that Merlin was just here to deliver a message from Arthur. She gave him an icy cold stare before jerking her head ever so slightly towards her maid; she hoped he would notice it before he did any more damage.

"Of course milady," said Merlin. "I will go back to Ar- I mean the prince and give him your message."

Morgana nodded politely as Merlin turned around and left the room; she hope he would be able to help Gwen, but that problem was out of her hands now.

"Josephine," said Morgana calmly as she called out to her maid.

"Yes milady?" asked her maid; she was practically quivering with excitement, as if she couldn't wait to tell the rest of the servants how Arthur's personal manservant had visited the Lady Morgana in her own chambers.

"You do realise that messages sent between Prince Arthur and I are private," said Morgana smoothly. "It's tantamount to treason to reveal court matters that you overhear, and the king would not take well to it."

"Of course, milady," said her maid nervously. However, Morgana was not convinced that girl wouldn't blab anyway; she needed to send a stronger message.

"I understand that your father lives in the lower town?" asked Morgana in an amiable tone. "It would be extremely unfortunate if he accidently drank the poisoned water; I hear the fever kills very quickly."

"I swear milady, I won't tell a soul," said her maid with panic in her voice.

"I'm lucky to have such a loyal servant," said Morgana with a smile. She wished she didn't have to threaten her servants to keep secrets, but this one could potentially cost Merlin his life. It seemed ironic to her that Arthur's manservant may be Camelot's final line of defence against the plague; what she wouldn't give to tease Arthur about it.

"Please get the emerald dress for me; I want to wear it to supper tonight," continued Morgana as she tried to get her maid to calm down. She felt relief as she saw her maid follow her order dutifully; maybe there was a chance that this would work after all.

* * *

><p>Merlin waited until it was dark before he sneaked out of Gaius's chambers. He was afraid of being caught now that every soldier in Camelot was looking for a sorcerer, but he had to go help Gwen. She was always so good to him, and now he could repay that favour. He quickly slipped past the two guards dozing by the gates; he thought they should have been more vigilant because Uther had ordered a curfew, but it seemed even the guards have given up hope.<p>

As he rounded the street to Gwen's house, he noticed that it was eerily quiet; it seemed like the city was completely dead. He easily unlocked the door to Gwen's house and walked inside as quietly as he could. Slowly, he tip-toed over to the bed where Gwen's father was lying; the man was covered in sweat, as if all the water in his body was flowing out though his skin. Merlin quickly slipped a magical poultice under the man's pillow; although the spell may not work, at least he would know that he tried anyway. He slipped out of the house slowly and smiled as he did so; it really did feel like he was doing something useful for once.

* * *

><p>Morgana woke to the sound of Gwen humming happily as she cleaned the room. She expected Gwen to be by her father's side, but Morgana dared to hope that maybe Merlin was even more powerful than she imagined; was it possible that he managed to cure the plague in the span of one night? If so, why did he not do it earlier? Morgana had so many questions, but decided that there would be time to ask Merlin soon enough.<p>

"Gwen, I see you are back to your duties today," remarked Morgana. "You know you do not have to leave your father's side if you don't want to."

"Oh he's perfectly fine now," said Gwen cheerfully. "I don't know how he's recovered, but it's a miracle; he's the first man to survive the plague!"

"You mean that the illness is still around?" asked Morgana with dread. Surely Merlin did not just cure one man; Uther would no doubt suspect...

"Sadly, I saw more bodies just lying on the streets today; there's not even enough men left to bury them now," said Gwen grimly as she unknowingly interrupted Morgana's chain of thought.

"Gwen, listen to me," said Morgana urgently. "You need to go back to your father and tell him that he needs to pretend to be sick; this is of vita-"

Before she could finish however, Arthur burst into her chambers, along with a large number of guards.

"Guards, seize her!" shouted Arthur in a commanding voice. His men quickly surrounded Gwen and easily knocked the girl down onto her knees and bound her hands.

"Guinevere, you are charged with using sorcery against the people of Camelot." said Arthur in a grim voice. "You will be bought to the court at once, where you will face the King's justice."

"Arthur, you and I both know that the King will kill her, even if she isn't a sorceress!" said Morgana as she desperately tried to think of a way to get Gwen out of Uther's hands. "He needs to show the people that he is doing something to remedy the plague, but incriminating my maid for a crime she didn't do is a little far."

"That's not true Morgana," said Arthur icily. "We found a magic poultice in her house."

"Oh, that's ridiculous," said Morgana lamely as she finally understood exactly what Merlin has done; not only did he just cure one man, but he left behind physical evidence as well. He might as well have executed Gwen himself, it would have been merciful compared to being burned alive on a pyre.

"Then how else do you explain her father's recovery?" asked Arthur sadly. "I know she seemed loyal, but perhaps she just fooled us all, including you."

"I wish to speak with the King," said Morgana flatly. "I might be able to persuade him otherwise."

Arthur gave a curt nod before he left the chambers while his guards dragged a terrified Gwen by her hands though the castle halls. It was obvious that the Prince didn't expect Morgana to be able to change Uther's mind, and even Morgana herself did not think she could do anything for her maid now. The only thing she could do is to buy precious time so she could find that idiot Merlin and get him to correct his mistake before it was too late for Gwen.

* * *

><p>Morgana quickly followed Arthur into the throne room where the guards unceremoniously dumped her maid onto the cold stone floor in front of Uther. Morgana cringed inwardly when she saw that Gwen's terror was obvious to everyone in the room; it would be far easier to elicit sympathy from the court if Gwen acted the confused idiot, but now everyone would assume that her fear was guilt instead.<p>

"Well done Arthur," said Uther proudly while ignoring Guinevere's pitiful pleas for mercy. "You have proven yourself to be a capable leader after all."

"Why will no one believe me?" wailed Gwen. "My father just got better, I didn't do anything!"

"I believe you," said Morgana supportively. "Your grace, perhaps this is a disease that is not always fatal."

"And what of this poultice that was found?" said Uther menacingly as he tossed the offending object in front of Gwen.

"What poultice? I don't know anything about a poultice!" said Gwen in a hysterical tone.

"Your majesty, surely the sorcerer would not be stupid enough to leave behind any physical evidence for us to find." said Morgana, flashing a look in Merlin's direction as she made her statement. She watched him squirm uncomfortably under her gaze before she quickly looked back into the King's eyes.

"What are you suggesting Morgana," said Uther impatiently.

"What if the sorcerer planted this so called evidence to redirect our suspicions?" asked Morgana, hoping against all hope that Uther was not the man she thought he was.

"You're right Morgana, there is a chance the sorcerer is still out there," admitted Uther. "Arthur, I want you to keep searching for any other trace of magic. However, this woman before us here is still the most likely culprit."

"Please your Grace, have mercy!" said Gwen helplessly.

"Under the circumstances I have no choice but to sentence you to death," proclaimed Uther. "I can only hope that when you die, this evil plague dies with you; take her to the dungeons."

"No, please, I don't know anything about thi-", screamed Gwen, but she was cut off when the guards gagged and dragged her out of the throne room.

"If the girl was the sorceress, why would she be content to remain as a mere servant?" shouted Morgana. "Why would she kneel on a cold stone floor morning after morning when she has the power to bring kingdoms to their knees with a snap of her fingers and rule the realm as a queen?"

"Perhaps that is what she wants," said Uther nonchalantly.

"By using the plague to kill everyone in the city?" asked Morgana. "She wouldn't have anything left to rule in a few more days."

"She's right, Father," said Arthur. "You hear the word magic, and you no longer listen."

"Arthur, you must understand that it matters little whether she is truly guilty or not," said Uther patiently, as if explaining a simple concept to a boy. "The people expect their king to do something about the plague, and by executing her we restore their confidence in the crown and it will end the riots without any further bloodshed."

"But that is not justice father!" protested Arthur. "I am yet to be King, and I don't know what kind of king I will be, but I do know that I will rule a Camelot where the law is both fair and just."

"Arthur, as King, I must do a little evil for the good of the realm." reprimanded Uther. "When you sit on my throne, you will understand that these decisions must be made no matter how distasteful or unjust it may be."

Morgana had heard enough; it was now obvious to her that Uther was going to execute Gwen no matter what happens, just as she expected. However, she would not sit idly and watch her friend burn just so Uther could keep his crown for a few more days. She stormed out of the throne room, leaving a rather forlorn Arthur to reason with Uther.

* * *

><p>Merlin stirred his soup dejectedly as he thought about the events of the day. It was his fault, he tried to help Gwen and now she's going to die because of him. He noticed Gaius place a reassuring hand on his shoulders, but that just made him feel more ashamed of himself; Gaius told him that using magic would lead to disaster, and time seemed to have proven him right.<p>

"I thought I was doing something good and that curing Gwen's father would help her," said Merlin miserably. "I thought I was saving a life. It seemed so simple."

"It's always easy to try and use the simplest solution," said Gaius. "But sometimes the easiest path is not the right way to travel."

"It would have been simple if Uther didn't hate sorcery," said Merlin bitterly.

"Perhaps when Arthur is on the throne things will be different, but for now, you must use your powers wisely," advised Gaius. "I must go; there are more bodies to collect and samples to study if I want to find a way to cure this plague, you however can stay here and take a rest."

Mere minutes after his uncle left, he heard a soft knock on his door. The warlock almost didn't hear it because he was lost in his thoughts, but a smooth voice bought him crashing back down to reality.

"Merlin, are you in there?" asked Morgana. "I saw Gaius go out, and I need to speak with you urgently."

Merlin quickly ran over to the door and opened it; no doubt she was going to scream at him for being such an idiot, and Merlin believed he deserved it.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" asked Morgana in an eerily calm voice as she sat down at the table.

"I'm sorry milady, but I wanted to help," said Merlin gloomily. "I was such an idiot."

"That you were, but now is not the time to dwell on your past mistakes," said Morgana gently. "Can you think of any way we can save Gwen?"

"Well maybe I could cure everyone, then Uther won't execute Gwen," said Merlin hurriedly, eager to redeem himself.

"He'll just say that Gwen feared for her own life and so she undid the spell that binds the plague; it would only further condemn her," said Morgana sadly.

"Fine, I'll turn myself in!" said Merlin bravely. "I'll say I'm the sorcerer and Uther will kill me instead!"

Morgana looked at Merlin as if this was the first time she had seen him, and the ghost of a smile began to play on her lips.

"That's very courageous of you Merlin," said Morgana. "I'm sure you'll both look splendid on the funeral pyre as you burn alive together."

"What do you mean?" asked Merlin in a confused tone.

"Uther will simply say that Gwen conspired with you, and have you both executed. You heard what he said earlier; killing the two of you will only send a stronger message to the people," said Morgana. "Besides, you and I both know that you must remain alive if Camelot is to have any chance of defeating this plague."

"What do you mean?" asked Merlin nervously. Did Morgana know that he had magic? And if she did, who else suspected him?

"There may be a way to save Gwen," said Morgana carefully. "But first we need to trust each other; I know your secret for one."

"I guess I hid that well, didn't I?" said Merlin as a small grin appeared on his face.

"The chandelier's chain snapping right as the witch walked under it was quite suspicious to say the least," said Morgana. "Not to mention that Gwen's father was mysteriously cured right after I mentioned to you that he was sick."

"Wait, you suspected me before I cured her father?" asked Merlin. "Why didn't you stop me from curing him then?"

"I was trying to encourage you to use your powers to destroy the source of the plague; I did not know that you would only cure one man," said Morgana exasperatedly.

"Fine, you know my secret and the limits of my magic," said Merlin hurriedly; he wanted the conversation to remain civil. "Now why did you need my trust?"

"Are you willing to do whatever it takes to save her?" asked Morgana in a very low voice.

"Anything at all," replied Merlin with conviction.

"There is only one way we can stop the execution," said Morgana in a very soft voice, as if she was afraid that the walls would overhear them. "We must kill the King."

* * *

><p>AN: Muhahaha! I love cliffies in TV shows, and I thought it was a nice place to leave the chapter. So what do you guys think of the chapter, and why do you think killing Uther will save Gwen? Try to think like (my) Morgana! Please review, it's scientific fact that the more reviews an author gets, the faster they update.


	5. Two Sides of the Board II

**Chapter 5: Two sides of the board (part 2)**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own BBC Merlin or any of the characters in it.

**Author's Note: **Sorry I'm a bit late with the update, but it's my longest chapter yet so I thought you could wait a bit longer for this one. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading it!

* * *

><p>Merlin was silent for a long time; it was true he never liked Uther, but he did not expect himself to be conspiring to kill him. For a moment, he wondered if Morgana had any ulterior motive for wanting the king dead, but he could not think of any reason how it could benefit her. He shook his head slowly; Morgana has been nothing but good to him, so the least he could do was to trust her.<p>

"Killing Uther would not help Gwen," said Merlin at last. "Arthur will probably believe it had something to do with Gwen, and he'd never release her if he knew that Uther died because of her. He may be a clot pole, but he isn't stupid."

"A clot pole?" said Morgana amusedly. "But yes, you are right; given the timing Arthur will definitely believe that Uther's death would be connected to Gwen's capture."

"You still haven't answered my question," said Merlin.

"Come now Merlin, you know as well as I do that Arthur is not particularly intelligent," said Morgana unconcerned voice. "If we give him some other reason to explain Uther's death, he'll take the bait."

"What do you mean?" asked Merlin. The warlock had a cold feeling in his stomach; as if he knew that he would not like the next part of the plan.

"Lord Agravaine's wife recently died from the plague," remarked Morgana. "I'd imagine he'd blame her death on Uther because of his ban on magic."

"You want to frame him for the murder?" said Merlin with shock. "Isn't he Arthur's uncle?"

"All the more reason for him to kill the king," said Morgana. "His sister died giving birth to Arthur, Uther killed his brother, and now Uther's ban on magic has killed his wife. All you have to do is kill Uther with Agravaine's dagger and leave it for the guards to find; Arthur will reach his own conclusions."

"But we'd be condemning an innocent man!" protested Merlin.

"I don't like it any more than you, but it's necessary for the good of the realm," said Morgana fiercely. "Once Arthur takes the throne, he will allow magic to be used in order to cure those with the plague."

"Do you realise how much you sounded like Uther just then?" said Merlin angrily.

"Uther wants nothing more than to enforce his ban on magic and to keep the crown on his head," shot back Morgana with a murderous look. "If Agravaine and Uther have to die so that all of Camelot can live, then so be it."

"There has to be another way," said Merlin in a defeated tone. He was trying desperately to think of some other solution to his current dilemma, but his mind gave him no answers.

"This is the only way we can save both Gwen and Camelot," said Morgana. "You know I'm right, and you are the only man who has the ability to get past his guards and back out without being seen; I hope you'll do the right thing."

With that, Morgana placed a dagger with the de Bois emblem carved into its hilt on the table. After she did so, she got up and swiftly left as quickly as she had arrived, leaving a very conflicted warlock to decide the fate of Camelot.

* * *

><p>Morgana walked back to her chambers slowly; she would not have had second thoughts about throwing Agravaine to Arthur's mercy before seeing Merlin, but his words still burned themselves into her mind: <em>"Do you realise how much you sounded like Uther?" <em>She tried to clear her head, but Merlin's accusing gaze seemed to be watching the back of her head. She went into her room and immediately dismissed her maid; she needed some time alone.

As she sat down on her bed, she thought of happier times, when her father was still alive. It seemed like it was only yesterday that when she tried to stop him from fighting in his last fateful campaign; she had a terrible dream in which her father was cut down from behind by faceless men. When she told him of the dream, he simply smiled and said: _"Even if I fall, I die so that many more may yet live; a few must suffer so that many may know peace. What is one life worth when compared to thousands?"_

He had died a few months later, but his words were true, the two armies destroyed each other in a narrow gorge and Camelot and all its citizens was spared. At that moment, she knew that she was nothing like Uther; he would let Camelot die because of his hatred of magic, while she only did what was needed to protect the people, just as her father would have done. If her great man like her father could die for the people of Camelot, then so could Uther and Agravaine.

* * *

><p>Merlin slowly fingered the dagger on the table. It was intricately made; the fold marks were still clearly visible on the blade, making curious patterns that almost seemed to form images on the razor sharp blade. He had no doubt that this was probably some kind of family heirloom, passed down for generations in the de Bois family. How Morgana got hold of the dagger was beyond him, but it was obvious that she had planned this before she came to see him.<p>

Merlin sighed with frustration he thought about the ultimatum Morgana had given him. Why did he have to decide the fate of the kingdom? The warlock wished that his so called destiny had fallen to someone else, because he certainly wanted no part of it. Suddenly, he remembered that it was the dragon who told him of his destiny in the first place; while the creature had been wrong about Morgana the last time, surely seeking ideas from the great beast would not hurt. The dragon could prevent the death of an innocent man if he did have advice, and if he didn't, then it wouldn't hurt to talk with another fellow magical creature. With this in mind, Merlin slipped the dagger into one of his pockets; he would ask the dragon for his advice, and if there was really no other choice, he would do as Morgana asked.

* * *

><p>Kilgaharrah breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the warlock approach him. At long last, Merlin has come to seek his counsel. He had feared that the boy would have gone along with Morgana's plot, thus cementing his alliance with the witch, but it seemed that this time he had judged Merlin correctly; he would not kill an innocent if he could help it. The dragon broke off from his thoughts when Merlin arrived at the cave entrance in a rather dishevelled state; he did not believe the boy could read his emotions, but it was best to be careful around one as powerful as this human.<p>

"The great warlock returns, as I knew he would," said Kilgaharrah in a booming voice. He knew no such thing, but it did not hurt to give the boy the impression that he was omnipotent.

"I need your help," said Merlin hurriedly. "A friend of mine has been accused of being a sorceress, and I need to find a way to save her and end this plague."

The dragon frowned, for he did not expect this line of questioning. Why would he care about a serving girl?

"Are you sure that you are meant to save this friend of your?" asked the dragon in a questioning tone. "Perhaps she must die so that you may live? If they suspect her of being a sorceress, it will draw suspicion away from you so that you can use your powers to save Camelot without being discovered."

"Morgana told me about a plan to save her," said Merlin. "If you won't help me, then I will do what she says."

"Pray tell, what did the Lady Morgana ask you of you this time?" said Kilgaharrah in his best neutral tone. He hoped he did not sound to bitter when he said the witch's name, but even a dragon cannot hide all his emotions.

"I know you don't like her for some unknown reason," replied Merlin. "But you were wrong about her, and this time she just wants to save both Gwen and Camelot."

"And yet here you are, asking for my advice," said the dragon in an amused tone. "I take it there's something you don't like about this plan of hers?"

"She wants me to kill Uther," said Merlin in a troubled tone. "I know he deserves to die for what he's done to both your kind and mine, but she said that I needed to frame Arthur's uncle for Uther's death so Arthur wouldn't suspect that it was connected to Gwen."

Kilgaharrah wanted to roar with rage; how dare the warlock compare the fate of sorcerers with the fate of his noble race. His race was dead, while there were thousands of sorcerers left in this land. He swallowed his pride and resisted his instinct to blast the impudent human into oblivion; he would never gain his vengeance if he attacked the boy. He slowly analyzed Morgana's plan with a more rational mind. It was fortunate for Morgana that the boy had no sense of self preservation or desire for power; a more ruthless man would have used the information to kill Uther and to blackmail Morgana at the same time. The dragon frowned as it considered this chain of thought; it was not like Morgana to trust anyone, but why did she put all her faith in the warlock at such a critical time? Perhaps he could use Morgana's friendship with the warlock against her in the future, but for now he still needed to gain Merlin's trust.

"Your compassion makes you a great man, Merlin," said Kilgaharrah at last. "Lord Agravaine has no part in this quarrel; he does not deserve to die."

"But Uther has to die so that I can use magic to cure people who have the plague," said Merlin with uncertainty in his voice. "Surely Agravaine's life isn't worth the lives of everyone who lives in Camelot."

"What if I told you there was another way to cure the plague and exonerate Morgana's maid?" asked the dragon cautiously. He did not know whether Merlin wanted Uther's death or not, and if he did it would be unwise to argue in favour of keeping Uther alive; Merlin would definitely suspect something then.

"How can we do that?" asked Merlin. "Do you know how this plague was made?"

"This was a dark spell; a great sorceress summoned a creature high in the mountains and it secretes a unique poison that pollutes the water source even as we speak," said Kilgaharrah. He did not want to interfere with Merlin's affairs in such a direct way least Nimueh suspected something, but he believed that this was the only way he could get the warlock to fully trust him.

"Right, I guess I'm supposed to kill it then," said Merlin angrily. "Do you realise how many lives you could have saved if you told me this earlier?"

"I believed that you could find out on your own, but you have clearly failed in that regard," said the dragon exasperatedly. Privately he thought it would be far too suspicious if he had summoned Merlin and told him the solution. "You will never realise your full potential unless you discover the truth for yourself."

"Yeah, it's all my fault," said Merlin bitterly. "So will you help me or not?"

"You must trust the elements that are at your command; kill this creature and you may find the proof you seek," said Kilgaharrah. "You cannot do this alone. You are but one side of a coin. Arthur is the other."

With that, the dragon flew off, leaving Merlin alone to ponder the solution. The boy was caught firmly in his trap now; he would never go along with Morgana's plot if he knew there was another way. The dragon allowed itself a brief sense of victory; the warlock had no choice but to trust him, and when Uther's death does come, it may still serve the dragon's own purpose.

* * *

><p>As Merlin climbed the steps back up the castle, he realised that he still had almost no idea what he was supposed to do. All he knew was that there was a magical creature in the water source, and he needed Arthur's help to kill it. Whatever the case, he knew he would have to tell Morgana about the change in plans; it would not be right to keep it from her. With this in mind, he strode confidently towards her chambers yet again, hoping that this time she would be alone.<p>

"Lady Morgana, Prince Arthur has sent me to deliver information of vital importance," said Merlin calmly as he knocked on the door. He was almost impressed with himself; he had always been a terrible liar, but now his voice sounded almost perfectly normal.

"Open the door for him please," commanded Morgana. Merlin cursed himself as he realised that Morgana probably always had a maid by her side. He wondered how he could communicate the information he needed to without giving anything away to the maid.

"Arthur said I needed to deliver this message to you alone," said Merlin carefully as he glanced at the maid. "He said it was important to let as few people know as possible."

"Josephine, stand out outside the hall for a minute and close the door, I'll hear what Arthur's manservant has to say in private," said Morgana. Much to Merlin's relief, the maid quickly bowed and left the room; this would make it far easier than he expected.

"I hope you have a good reason for coming to see me?" said Morgana with a raised eyebrow.

"Listen, there's another way, and I don't have to kill anyone either," said Merlin hurriedly. "I need to visit the water supply immediately, there's a creature there that's causing the plague."

"Even if you cure the plague, Gwen will still be executed," said Morgana pointedly. "Remember that the King believes she is a sorceress because of that poultice you made."

"Please, I think there's proof that it wasn't Gwen who created the plague," said Merlin quickly; he still had not forgiven himself for being stupid enough to leave the poultice in Gwen's house. "Surely even Uther wouldn't execute her once there's proof that she's innocent?"

"You'd be surprised," said Morgana in a cold voice. "Still, if you believe that this will cure the plague, then we must take care of it before any more people die."

"We?" asked Merlin with a frown. "It'll be too dangerous for you, I don't even know what's down there!"

"Let's say I'm not just a pretty face," said Morgana with a smile. "You'll need someone who knows the way down there, and I can help you with that."

Merlin sighed; he came here to tell her his plan, not to throw her into harm's way. He knew there was no arguing with Morgana; Arthur tried it often enough and he always got burned for his efforts.

"Alright," said Merlin at last. "But you have to stay behind me; even if we're only going there to investigate it."

"I don't need your protection Merlin," said Morgana dismissively. "You still haven't told me how you got this information."

"Er, I got it from the library," said Merlin lamely. He doubted Morgana would trust his plan if he told her that a dragon gave him the knowledge.

"Please Merlin, do you take me for Arthur?" asked Morgana exasperatedly.

"Gaius found out in one of his books; he's a sorcerer," said Merlin quickly. It was the first thing that came to mind, but as the words left his mouth, he suddenly felt ashamed at himself for revealing his uncle's secret without telling him first.

"Gaius practices magic?" asked Morgana inquisitively. "I wonder why Uther left him alive; he killed every other sorcerer in Camelot."

"I guess that's a mystery for another day," said Merlin. "Right now we have to find that proof before it's too late for Gwen."

"Wait for me in the courtyard; I need to dress more appropriately before I can go anywhere," said Morgana. "Oh and one more thing; if you are not using it, I want the dagger back."

Merlin nodded and gave her the blade without thinking about what he was doing before he left the room. There were preparations he needed to do take care of before he was ready to face this creature. Time was against him, for less than a day remained before Uther burned Gwen alive. Suddenly he realised with a start that he had just returned the one weapon Morgana needed to kill Uther; she obviously did not trust in his plan, and was preparing for all other eventualities. He walked faster back towards his chambers; it was out of his hands now, and he could only hope that Morgana would not be rash enough to try and kill Uther herself.

* * *

><p>Morgana gazed at the dagger slowly; it seemed to her that either Merlin did not have the guts to take down the king, or he truly believed that he could stop this madness without killing Uther. A part of her wanted to believe him; she knew that her father would have been devastated if she was responsible for the death of his best friend, even if he was the man who sent him to his doom. The more rational side screamed at her to find Merlin and stop him before he did anything irreversible that would get himself killed. If the boy died, then Camelot was truly doomed; surely it was not worth risking all of Camelot just to save two men. However, she could tell that the boy was determined to follow his plan through no matter what she said, and she would have to do her best to protect him from his own stupidity.<p>

"Josephine," commanded Morgana. "Bring me my travelling clothes; I'm going to visit the lower town."

"But milady, are you sure that's wise?" said the maid nervously. "People are desperate now, and desperate men are usually violent."

"I'll be fine," said Morgana curtly. "I doubt there are many men left who can afford to move around on the streets anyway; it's been almost two days since the king sealed the water supply."

"As you wish milady," said Josephine dutifully as she went to fetch the only plain clothes Morgana owned, along with a plain cloak. She hoped it would be a sufficient disguise in the lower town; it would be a total disaster if anyone recognized her while she joined Merlin's investigation.

* * *

><p>As Morgana strode out into the courtyard, she saw Merlin pacing anxiously around the fields. It seemed to her that the sorcerer was nervous, as if he was not sure of what he was supposed to do. The more Morgana thought about his so called 'plan', the more flaws she found in it. What madness drove her to agree with him in the first place?<p>

"I hope you know what you're doing," said Morgana grimly as she approached Merlin. "If you die, the rest of the city dies with you."

"I don't intend to die," said Merlin with fake bravado. "We just have to investigate the water supply and find out what is poisoning the water."

"Well let's not waste any time then; every second is precious now and we cannot afford any more delays," said Morgana.

Merlin nodded in agreement and started walking quickly towards the lower town. As they passed along the streets of the lower town, it struck Morgana that it was almost as silent as a graveyard. There was not a single man or woman on the streets. The several patrols of guards that roamed the deserted alleyways were the only ones that made any noise at all. She couldn't even make out any trace of birdsong; it was as if the city was already dead. When the two approached the market, she saw that almost everything of value has been looted; a trace of the riots Uther had talked about the day before. It was ironic that people bothered to steal valuables when the city was dying, an indicator of the common peoples' greed and lack of vision. As bad as Uther was, it seemed that the commoners needed someone who was ruthless enough to keep them in check before they destroyed each other themselves.

Finally, they approached the caves leading to the water source. The caves had always seemed foreboding to her as a child; it was like a black maw that would reach out to swallow anyone who entered. The thought that there was a dangerous magical creature dwelling within the caves didn't help assuage her doubts. Morgana pushed away her fear and silently followed Merlin as he ducked his head to enter the cramped passageway; she told him that she had to come with him, and she would rather die before she let the boy know that she was afraid of some hole in the mountains.

The upward leading passageways were extremely narrow; it seemed to her that the very walls themselves were trying to strangle them. They walked onwards for what seemed like hours; it seemed to Morgana that there was no end to these accursed tunnels. Their blazing torches flickered briefly, casting wavering shadows on the rock walls. Morgana tried not to imagine what it would be like if they lost their light sources, but her mind slowly wandered through the possibilities. Without light they would be lost forever in the maze, unable to see in the utter darkness and doomed to die of thirst. If that happened, it would be a mercy if Merlin's creature found and kill them first; Morgana shuddered and gripped her torch more tightly as they continued to climb up the steep, winding slope; she had no choice but to press onwards now that they had come so far.

She breathed a sigh of relief as they finally approached an open cavern that contained a natural spring. They were now in the mountains high above Camelot. A stone plaque on the wall read: _Hoc aquaeductus est ædificavit per Gavius Flavius Domitillae in anno consulibus Imp. Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus III et P. Dasumius Rusticus. _Morgana traced her hands over the foreign lettering; no doubt whoever built this structure sought to carve their name into the annals of history; he had failed, and this stone construction was his last saw that the water was transported from the spring via a series of canals that gently sloped downwards towards the city of Camelot. It has been over two generations since the Romans abandoned these lands, leaving only their constructions behind. She felt a sense of sadness come over her as she ran her fingers over the well-hewn stone; so much knowledge had been forgotten over the centuries simply because men were too stupid to appreciate what they had until it had been taken from them.

"Well here we are," said Merlin suddenly, snapping Morgana out of her idle thoughts. "I guess I'll have to lure to creature out somehow."

As Merlin approached the main source of water, it was clear to Morgana that he intended to test the water with his own hands; she knew there was a reason why she had to come after all.

"So is that your great plan to save Camelot?" asked Morgana sarcastically. "Stick your hands in the water and hope the creature doesn't bite them off before you pull them out?"

"Do you have a better idea?" asked Merlin with a raised eyebrow.

"Just step back from the water," said Morgana exasperatedly. It wasn't long before she found a small rock and tossed it into the spring.

The effects were immediate; as soon as the pebble hit the water, a great mass leapt up from the pool. The scales of the beast were as black as night itself and its eyes burned with an unnatural fire. As it slowly raised itself out of the water, the beast's glistering claws scraped the edge of the stone, making a terrible screeching noise as the ivory scraped away the rock. Morgana found herself transfixed by her fear; her muscles would not respond as she saw her doom slowly approach her. Someone in the back of her mind, she vaguely recognised Merlin's voice screaming at her to run, but in her ears she could only hear the pounding of her own heart and the slow breath of the monster that now stood before her.

Just as the creature leapt at her, she felt an unknown force push her roughly to the ground. The beast could not compensate in time and it flew over her head, crashing into the stone walls behind her with a sickening crunch. Cracks appeared in the wall where the creature impacted and she felt a rush of adrenaline in her body as the monster slowly got up, dazed by not wounded. Suddenly she found that she was back in control of her own body; she could hear Merlin shouting at her to run as he waved his hands in an obscure motion as he readied another spell. Coming to her senses, she grabbed Merlin's arm and dragged him towards the passageway that lead to the exit. The beast made a half hearted lunge with its claws as they both ran, but it was still disoriented so it merely managed to gouge a chuck of rock out of the wall a few metres to their left. The ward and the warlock ran down the steep passageways, and the creature's roars slowly faded away into the distance behind them.

* * *

><p>Night had already fallen when Merlin finally stepped back into Gaius's chambers. Morgana insisted that they go into the castle separately so that no one would see them together and draw the wrong conclusions. Morgana did say that she would come to visit him later, but from the look of her face she clearly was not pleased with the results of his little trip. Personally, Merlin thought that she should have been more grateful after he saved her life. Then again, it was his idea to go visit the monster in the first place.<p>

Merlin picked up his spellbook and began to flick through the musky pages, looking for any references to the creature that he had just fought. He still couldn't believe it wasn't dead; it jumped directly into the solid rock wall with such force, breaking apart the stone, but it wasn't even injured. How was he supposed to kill such a creature? He remembered the dragon say something about elements and Arthur being the other side of the coin. Merlin snorted involuntarily; Arthur was merely a good warrior, and it wasn't likely that his flimsy steel sword could kill a creature like that. As he turned the page, he spotted an illustration of a creature that looked exactly like the one he had just faced. He had never heard of this 'Afanc' before, and he suspected that now would be a good time to involve Gaius.

"Gaius!" shouted Merlin. He hoped his uncle was somewhere in the room; with luck he wouldn't even have noticed that he was gone for all those hours.

"Merlin, I've been looking for you for hours," said Gaius in an angry tone, although the look of relief on his face was quite obvious to Merlin. "Where have you been?"

"Well I thought I'd visit the water supply up in the mountains to find out exactly what was causing the plague..." started Merlin.

"The water supply!" exclaimed Gaius. "Those tunnels are perilous, there was a reason why I didn't go there before; you can lose yourself so easily in that winding maze."

"Well I got out didn't I?" asked Merlin indignantly. "Besides, I found out exactly what was causing the plague."

"You found the source?" said Gaius. He was obviously still angry with Merlin, but his desire to cure Camelot superseded his need to scold his nephew. "What is it?"

"Here, take a look at this," said Merlin as he showed Gaius the page that illustrated the Afanc.

"An Afanc," said Gaius wearily. "That would explain the plague; I had my suspicions before, but I didn't really want to believe it."

"Why?" asked Merlin. "What's so bad about this creature?"

"The Afanc is an elemental beast that is nearly invincible," said Gaius heavily. "Legends hold that it has near miraculous healing powers, and only the most powerful warlocks have the powers needed to slay it."

"Well at least you agree with me that I need to use magic to kill this creature," remarked Merlin.

"Magic is the only thing that can kill an Afanc," said Gaius. "Besides, Uther wouldn't know that someone used magic in the water supply; nobody even goes there."

"Well I am a powerful warlock," said Merlin boastfully. "How do I kill it?"

"Prince Arthur must be rubbing off on you," said Gaius with a raised eyebrow. "But you raise a good question; the book doesn't exactly say how to kill a creature like this."

"So is that just a long way of saying 'I don't know'?" asked Merlin sarcastically. "Any idea how elements come into this?"

"Elements?" asked Gaius thoughtfully. "Well I do know the Afanc is summoned using the magics of the earth."

"So how do I destroy earth?" pressed Merlin. He knew that this must have been what the Dragon meant by using elements, although he still didn't figure out how Arthur came into it.

"Well fire can destroy the structure of most earthen objects, as long as it can get past the hard outer surface," said Gaius doubtfully. "Perhaps if you could somehow pierce the skin of the creature and burn it from within..."

"Of course," said Merlin softly. "You've been a great help Gaius; I promise you the plague will be gone soon."

"I just pray that you won't be too late," said Gaius quietly. Merlin didn't seem to hear the old physician as the warlock went back to his book, waiting for Morgana to come so he could tell her the good news.

* * *

><p>Morgana mind was filled with rage at the idiocy of everyone around her. Merlin was stupid enough to believe that he could cure the plague with brute force alone, while Uther was content to let Camelot die just because of his own hatred of magic. But most of all, Morgana was furious at herself. She was supposed to be the one keeping Merlin in check, but he had saved her instead. She had been completely and utterly useless, paralysed by the mere sight of the beast. Morgana felt a tear form in her eyes and she cursed when she felt the drop of water run down her cheek. She could not afford to be weak now; all of Camelot depended on her to survive, not that idiotic sorcerer nor their blinded king.<p>

Wiping away the single tear, she summoned her maid to redress her in her violet dress before dismissing the girl for the night. After the girl was gone, Morgana donned her cloak and slipped Agravaine's dagger into the folds. It was time to go see Merlin, and this time she would give him an ultimatum; he could do as she said, or she would kill Uther herself; tens of thousands lives hanged in the balance and she would not fail them.

As Morgana reached the door to Gaius's lodgings, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was pure luck that she did not run into any guards along the way, but they had never been particularly competent at their jobs. She slowed down and gave a soft knock; Morgana hoped that the physician was already asleep, because it would be rather hard to explain why she had come to his chambers at this hour. Fortunately, it seemed that Merlin had been waiting for her to arrive and he silently ushered her into the modest room.

"Is there somewhere we can talk in private?" whispered Morgana. She did not want to risk alerting anyone to her presence, especially not when she was literally hiding a dagger beneath her cloak.

"We can go up to my room," said Merlin. "Follow me."

The servant and the King's ward quickly climbed the steps up to Merlin's cramped room. Morgana frowned as she saw the mess on the floor; clothes the thrown around haphazardly, as if they were arranged so that one could not actually see the floorboards. On a small rectangular block of wood that Morgana assumed was Merlin's bed, she saw a book of spells lying open on a very specific page; it was a picture of the same creature that she saw just hours ago. She wanted to examine the book more closely; Uther had all books on sorcery burned years ago and ever since then she had always wanted to read one of those forbidden books. However, she knew there were more pressing matters at hand and so she turned to face Merlin and gazed at him with her piercing emerald eyes.

"Well we tried doing things your way," said Morgana quietly. "You've failed, and now we've wasted precious time that we did not have."

"Failed?" said Merlin indignantly. "I've just found out how to kill it, or at least I think I did."

"We can't afford to risk anything now," hissed Morgana. "You must take the dagger and kill Uther, we both know there is no other way."

"No, you don't understand!" said Merlin urgently. "I know I can succeed, all I need is Arthur."

"You think Arthur can kill a magical creature that can shatter stone with a single blow, leap with enough force to crush a solid rock wall and see with perfect clarity in the dark?" said Morgana with disbelief.

"All he has to do is stab it once with his sword," said Merlin with conviction. "Then I can kill it with my magic."

"You place too much faith in your own powers," retorted Morgana.

"Well they were powerful enough to save you!" said Merlin angrily. He softened his voice and his face gave off a pleading look. "Please, all I need is Arthur, can you convince him to help me?"

Morgana turned away and looked out the small window above the bed. She did not believe that Merlin could succeed, but it was obvious that she could never persuade him from his suicidal path.

"Very well," said Morgana at last. "I will talk to Arthur for you, but you will be on your own. I have my own task to attend to."

"You're going to kill the king yourself?" said Merlin with wide eyes as he slowly grasped the intent behind her words. "You can't do that, they'll catch you!"

"You leave me with little choice," said Morgana bitterly. "I will give you till noon tomorrow to do whatever you intend to do. Make sure both you and Arthur survive, because if you do not, this will all have been for nothing."

"I... I understand," said Merlin quietly. "I heard that Gwen will be executed at dusk tomorrow, and I'll do everything I can to save her."

"There's more than just Gwen's life at stake here," said Morgana quietly. "Go see Arthur in the courtyard at dawn tomorrow, he will be there to help you."

"And you... you'll be trying to kill the most powerful and well guarded man in the kingdom by then," said Merlin sadly. "Take care of yourself Morgana."

Morgana stared into his blue eyes one last time before turning around and walking quickly out of Gaius's chambers. It seemed to her that the idiotic servant truly believed he was planning was possible; she sighed and kept walking. For good or for ill, tomorrow at this time it would all be over at last.

* * *

><p>Morgana quickly made her way across the castle to Arthur's chambers. She did not bother to knock, instead walking right past the dozing guards and quickly shutting the door behind her. Arthur was asleep on his bed; his face seemed a lot more like the child she remembered without that arrogant smirk pasted across it. She knew that she could well be sending him to his death, but if Merlin could protect her, perhaps he could protect Arthur as well. She went over to his side and tapped on his head, darting back as she did so.<p>

Her instincts were right as Arthur immediately woke and pulled his sword from its sheath; she knew he had always been a light sleeper due to all the raids Uther sent him on. He looked around furiously, looking for an enemy that wasn't there until his eyes finally settled on Morgana, who was standing quietly by the curtains with a smile on her face.

"Morgana?" said Arthur with a note of surprise. "Why are you here, I'm not even dressed!"

"Arthur, I came to ask you about something," said Morgana as she feigned confusion. "Do you really believe that my maid is a sorceress?"

Arthur quickly pulled on his shirt; the prince didn't want anyone catching Morgana in his chambers at this hour, and it would look worse if he wasn't wearing anything above his waist.

"Your maid, Guinevere was it?" said Arthur uncertainly. "Honestly, I don't know what to think; father doesn't really think at all when it comes to magic and he's intent on executing her."

"Did you know Merlin planned on offering his own life in exchange for her's?" asked Morgana.

"Merlin's in love with someone that my father wants to execute?" asked Arthur with a shake of his own head. "How did you know this anyway?"

"I saw him earlier today crying in the courtyard," said Morgana casually. "He thought he could talk to me because I told the king I believed in Gwen."

Arthur gave a short nod, apparently satisfied with her explanation. He had always been easy to fool.

"That wasn't all," continued Morgana. "I was merely going to see if he was hurt, but then he started talking about something he found in the water supply."

"The water supply?" asked Arthur in shock. "That's leagues up the caves in the mountains! Merlin certainly doesn't look like he can walk that far."

"He braved the twisting caverns to find some proof that it was not Gwen who created the plague," said Morgana softly, knowing that Arthur was now caught in her web. "He risked his own life to save Gwen's. I certainly can't imagine any man loving me so much."

"No, I certainly can't imagine that either," said Arthur with a smirk. "So what did he find up there?"

"A magical beast," said Morgana. "He said that Gaius later told him that must be what's causing the plague."

"You know father has forbidden all members of the court from leaving the keep until the execution; he wants to see if Guinevere's death will destroy the plague," said Arthur with a sigh.

"Sadly the age of gallantry seems to be dead. You look around and all you see are small men, not big enough to fill their armour," said Morgana sadly. "There's not one of them that's able to stand up for what is right."

Arthur turned around and stared at her with a scowl. She allowed herself to feel a small sense of victory; Arthur was always like a puppet to her and it was so easy to pull his strings.

"What do you want me to do?" asked Arthur with a determined voice.

* * *

><p>Merlin woke up just before dawn and despite how every muscle in his body seemed to scream in protest, he forced himself to get up. He quickly ate a large piece of black bread and washed it down with as much water as he could find; the warlock knew he needed all his strength for today, and if that meant drinking bathwater, so be it. As he ran down the halls of the castle, he feared for a moment that Morgana had not held up on her promise and simply went to assassinate Uther in the night. However, those fears were soon dispelled when he saw Arthur, fully equipped with plate armour and his best sword, pacing around in the castle's courtyard; the prince had gotten there even earlier than Merlin expected. Merlin's face broke out into a smile and ran down towards the prince; he never thought he'd be so glad to see Arthur.<p>

"Before you get any strange ideas that I am somehow indebted to you or Morgana, I would like you to know that I'm only here because I want to stop this plague," said Arthur with a scowl on his face. "Now what was it that you saw in the water supply?"

"It was a monster," said Merlin quickly. "A creature of magic; I've no doubt that if you kill it, the plague will die with it."

"Then we have no time to waste," said Arthur curtly. "Grab a torch and make yourself useful; I would have some guards come with us so that I wouldn't be reliant on you, but I do not want my father to know about this."

Merlin ignored Arthur's implied insult; he was used to it by now, and the despite everything Arthur does, it seemed to Merlin that he really cared about the people of Camelot. Besides, he would need to be the one carrying the torch if he was going to harness any kind of fire at all. Merlin grabbed a torch and quickly followed Arthur out of the keep; he suspected that the prince didn't really want to take him along at all, but somehow Morgana had convinced him that he needed his servant.

* * *

><p>"Josephine, I want you to give a message to the king," said Morgana in a calm voice. She had already hidden the small dagger in her bodice, along with a small vial containing a small amount of her sleeping draught. Everything was in place, and now all she had to do was to set the bait.<p>

"Of course milady," said the maid respectfully. "What will I say to him?"

"Tell him that I wish to formally apologize to him for my conduct in the days before," said Morgana, lacing her voice with a small amount of regret just in case her maid did not really believe her. "It was not... ladylike of me to interfere in the affairs of men."

"I will go at once," said the maid dutifully as she left the room. Once the girl had gone, Morgana looked at her own reflection in the mirror. While Arthur would have never bought her 'apology', Uther had always thought of her more of a doll and less of a person, to behave as he thought she should. It would not be hard to fool him, but she feared that her own courage would give out before the end.

Morgana slowly pulled herself together and reminded herself of the consequences; if she failed, all of Camelot will perish. If she succeeded in killing Uther but was caught in the process, she would no doubt be executed by Arthur, not to mention that he would believe that Uther's death would be directed related to magic. In many ways her plot far more risky than Merlin's. At least he was facing a visible enemy, while Morgana's enemy was the irrational hatred of magic that Uther had spread across the realm. If Uther's ideas lived on, then everything she did was for nothing; the plan had to go flawlessly.

"The king requested that you dine with him personally during the midday meal," said her maid as she returned a few minutes later. "He says he wants to hear your words in person milady."

"I will be there as he requests," replied Morgana smoothly. This was it; there was no turning back now.

* * *

><p>Merlin clambered up the winding slopes for the second time in two days, only this time he was following Arthur instead. The prince has insisted that he led the way, in case Merlin lost his way. The warlock rolled his eyes; why did everyone around him underestimate what he could do? Still, he appreciated the fact that Arthur actually cared for the people who 'served' him. Most other lords would probably make their servants go first, least there was a pitfall that they could not see. They walked for hours in silence, until the lack of talking finally unnerved Merlin enough to converse with the prince.<p>

"Say Arthur, what exactly did Morgana tell you to make you come all the way here with me?" asked Merlin curiously.

"That's none of your business," snapped Arthur. "Let's just say I'm doing this for the good of Camelot, not for you, and definitely not for her."

"Alright, whatever," said Merlin offhandedly. "Tell yourself whatever you want to think, I know the truth."

"And what exactly might that be," said Arthur with an exasperated voice. Merlin merely gave him a knowing look, and did not respond.

Abruptly, the tunnels broke out into the wide cavern that contained the spring. Merlin instantly readied himself; he had not forgotten how quickly the beast had burst forth from the water the last time he was here.

"Well, I don't see anything," said Arthur. Before he could finish however, a shadow sprang from a darkened corner, heading straight for the Prince. Arthur propelled himself to his right, narrowly avoiding the beast in time. His torch however was knocked from his hand and quickly extinguished, leaving Merlin's torch as their last light source. Arthur swung his sword wildly in the creature's last known location, but it had vanished into the shadows yet again.

"Stay close to me," said Arthur, breathing heavily as he did so. "I can't fight if I can't see anything."

Merlin couldn't even respond with an intelligent comment, he merely gripped the torch harder and braced himself for the next attack. He however did not expect the creature to attack from above; it swung it's arms with immense power, its claws connecting directly with Arthur's breastplate and sending him flying into the darkness with a sickening thud. Merlin gaped in horror; in that moment he thought he had failed in his task and now all of Camelot would die. The creature slowly turned to face Merlin, as if it wanted to toy with its prey.

As it moved towards the warlock, Merlin spied Arthur's sword sticking out of the creature's shoulder; Arthur must have spun around and stabbed the monster just as it landed that terrible blow. He saw that the metal was slowly slipping out of the beast's body, as if being pushed out of it's body by an invisible force. Merlin knew that he had almost no time left, but he managed to summon the strength to call the power within himself. Merlin focused on the blade itself, channelling the fire from the torch, amplifying it, and used it to heat the steel into a white hot piece of metal. The Afanc writhed in pain, but the heat from the sword seemed to boil the blood of the creature and turn its juices into gas. It gave out a final rending shriek and swung at Merlin one last time before collapsing into a pile of dust, leaving behind only a broken eggshell.

In that moment, Merlin's torch gave out, leaving him in utter darkness; he had burned out all the fire in the torch with his spell. It was fortunate that he was a sorcerer, and was able to enhance his own senses. He could now see with near perfect clarity in the darkness, and he finally spied Arthur lying in the distance, unconscious but very much alive; his enhanced hearing allowed him to hear the Prince's heartbeat. Quickly, he went over to Arthur and pretended to drape Arthur over his own shoulders while using his magic to support the weight of the prince. While there was nobody to see him do so, he did not want to Prince to wake up and see himself being levitated by his servant. He paused when he saw the eggshell lying on the ground; maybe this was the proof he needed to exonerate Gwen. Merlin grabbed the shell and quickly headed towards the exit; too much time had already passed, and he feared that he would be too late to stop Morgana's part of the plan.

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><p>Morgana gave Uther a dazzling smile as she poured wine into his goblet, secretly slipping her sleeping draught into the alcohol as she did so. The meal had already gone on for over an hour, and she had to sit there and pretend to be the princess Uther wanted her to be. He had lectured her on her 'mistake', saying some tripe about always having to submit to her masculine betters. She had to sit there and smile as she 'agreed' with his every word. It infuriated her because she knew that that this was the way Uther treated all men and women; as objects who had to obey his every whim. She knew that Arthur would make a far better king than Uther could ever be, but still she feared that Arthur's arrogance would get the better of him. She would probably need to guide when he ascended to the throne; god knows that he had no idea how to govern, not to mention that he was completely oblivious as to how the political environment worked.<p>

"Would you drink with me?" asked Uther as he raised his Goblet, interrupting Morgana's thoughts. "A toast to the people of Camelot; may the death of the witch end their suffering."

"Morgana smiled at him and pretended to drink the wine as Uther downed his entire goblet in one go. It was ironic how the common people had no more water left, but Uther could still afford to drink wine even thought it causes dehydration. Either the king did not understand the people's suffering, or he knew and simply chose to ignore it for now; Morgana couldn't decided which was worse. As minutes passed and they moved back to inane chatter, she saw that he had begun to slump; the sleeping draught was starting to take effect.

"You look tired Your Grace," remarked Morgana carefully. "Perhaps the rigours of Kingship are taking their toll on you today?"

"I fear you're right, Morgana," said Uther sleepily. "Perhaps a short rest will do me some good."

"Let me help you to your chambers, Your Grace," said Morgana quickly.

"That would be very kind of you Morgana," said Uther with a smile. "I'm glad that you're finally behaving as a lady should, and because of this I will forgive you for your past transgressions."

Morgana resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she helped Uther along the hallways of the castle. Now was not the time to bite back with a sarcastic remark, especially since she spent the last hour pretending that she was utterly subservient to Uther's wishes. When Morgana finally reached Uther's chambers, she gently helped him onto the bed. As soon as the king touched his feathered pillow, he immediately fell into a deep sleep. He almost looked... fatherly when he was at rest, as if all his hatreds just disappeared in his dream world. She hardened herself as she walked out to the guards; there was one final piece to the puzzle that must be pieced together before Uther died.

"His Majesty the King has requested the presence of Lord Agravaine," said Morgana calmly to Uther's personal bodyguard. "He says he wishes to discuss some matters of the court with him."

The man quickly nodded and left to find Agravaine. Morgana knew that Agravaine was still mourning for his wife, and now 'Uther' was interrupting him in the middle of his vigil. No doubt he would have cause to be angry with the king, and if the guards could see his fury it would give them even more reason believe that he was the killer. Now the board was set, and Uther's death was the final move that remained. Morgana closed the door and slowly walked up to the sleeping king and raised her dagger above Uther's throat.

Before she could slit the King's jugular however, someone burst into the room. Morgana jerked back instantly, tossing the dagger under the bed as she did so. She swiftly turned around to look at the intruder, praying that he had not seen the blade. Her fear turned to anger when she saw that the man standing by the doorway was none other than Merlin.

"Are you mad?" said Morgana angrily. "Get out this instant, before the guards return!"

"No Morgana, you don't need to frame an innocent man," said Merlin urgently. "Arthur and I succeeded, we killed the creature!"

"And who do you think Uther will blame for summoning the creature in the first place?" retorted Morgana, reaching under the bed for the dagger as she did so. However, an invisible force ripped the dagger from her grasp and the blade flew into Merlin's hands.

"I found something that may be prove that it wasn't Gwen who summoned the creature," said Merlin quickly. "You don't need to go through with this! There's been so much death already."

"You're forcing your choice on me," said Morgana flatly. "Very well, you can pray that Uther's good nature will get the better of him; if you're wrong, then Gwen's death is on your hands."

With that, she stormed out of Uther's chambers; her emotions a mixture of rage, fear and relief. Merlin had succeeded after all, and the plague had been stopped. However she couldn't shake off the feeling that Gwen was still doomed; she knew Uther, and he had no soft side when it came to magic. Lost in her thoughts, Morgana barely noticed when she passed by Agravaine as she walked along the halls; she had almost forgotten about him.

"The King has decided that he did not need your presence after all," said Morgana quickly as she tried to repair the disaster. "He said that you should tend to your family duties instead."

She breathed a sigh of relief when Agravaine nodded curtly and turned back the way he came; at least something went right for her today.

* * *

><p>As soon as Merlin saw Morgana leave Uther's bedchambers, he pocketed the dagger and went over to wake the King. He needed to deliver the good news to the king before Gwen was executed, and it was likely that the rest of the city wouldn't know until after dusk.<p>

"What is the meaning of this," said Uther angrily. "You dare disturb your King while he rests? Explain yourself!"

"Your Grace," said Merlin hesitantly. "Arthur has good news! He found the source of the plague, and he killed the creature that was causing the disease."

Slowly Uther pull himself out of the bed and gave Merlin a stern look, as if considering if he should punish the boy or not.

"Very well," said Uther at last. "I will gather the court and I want Arthur to be there as soon as possible; this news is to remain in the castle until I say otherwise, am I clear?"

"Yes, Your Grace," said Merlin in a confused tone. Why did it need to remain a secret? He did not understand, but he had a feeling that the king would expect him to follow his orders without question.

"You are dismissed," said Uther as he turned around and put his crown back on, as if he had already forgotten that Merlin had ever existed. He slowly walked out of the chambers, glad that he had managed to save one more innocent life. As he returned to Gaius's room where Arthur was being treated for his wounds, he tried his best to ignore Morgana's warning; this was a day of celebration, and he didn't want it spoiled.

* * *

><p>Morgana was dressed in her best violet gown for the occasion. Uther had summoned an emergency meeting of the court, and every noble was supposed to attend. She sat on lower seat to Uther's left, while Arthur sat to his right. When she entered the throne room earlier, she noticed that Arthur was limping; he must have been injured when he fought the creature. The rest of the court didn't fail to notice this detail either; even now, they were whispering among themselves as they speculated on the purpose of the meeting.<p>

"I have summoned you all here to announce the good news," said Uther in an authoritative voice as he raised a hand to silence the court. "Through the heroic deeds of my son, Arthur, the plague has been lifted."

At this news, the entire court seemed to immediately brighten up, and polite bows and claps were made in Arthur's direction.

"However, the sorceress responsible for this inhuman crime is still alive," said Uther again. "Her execution will continue on schedule, and we will let her see that her plots have come to nothing. Every citizen of Camelot will attend this execution, and all will know the fate of those who dare to harm Camelot."

The court gave a loud cheer at this news, but Morgana chose to look directly into Merlin's eyes instead; everything has turned out as she predicted, and she wanted him to know that this was his fault. Instead of looking guilty as he should, he simply walked up to the king and Morgana began to feel fear growing in her heart, surely the boy was not naive enough to believe that he could trade his own life for Gwen's?

"Your Grace," said Merlin nervously as he presented Uther with a white object. "When Arthur killed the beast, it left behind this broken eggshell."

Morgana relaxed when the words left Merlin's mouth. The warlock was not stupid enough to commit suicide after all, but she doubted that his evidence would change Uther's mind.

"Gaius, what do you make of it?" asked Uther curiously. "Does this prove that it was indeed cast by the same sorceress who made that poultice?"

"Your majesty," said Gaius carefully. "While the eggshell remains unmarked, all magical objects have an indescribable energy to them. I recognize this energy signature; I believe it belongs to Nimueh." [1]

At the mention of that name, the entire court stirred nervously and Morgana herself seemed to vaguely remember the name. Before she could try to think of where she had heard of it, Arthur's voice broke into her thoughts.

"Father, if it was not Morgana's maid that cast the spell, then we should release her," said Arthur.

"What do you mean?" asked Uther slowly, as if he could not believe Arthur's words. "Even if she did not create the plague, she still used sorcery to cure her father."

"Like Morgana suggested a few days before, perhaps it was planted by this Nimueh to draw suspicion away from herself," said Arthur confidently.

"You still don't understand," said Uther exasperatedly. "Even if she did not cast that spell, she still needs to die. I promised the people they would have an execution, and I keep my promises. It would make me appear weak if I called it off."

"But she could be innocent," said Arthur angrily. "Would you risk killing an innocent simply because it makes you look 'weak'?"

Morgana was shocked by the turn of events; she did not expect Arthur of all people to defend her maid; before he spoke it seemed that Gwen's fate was sealed, but now there was a small spark of hope. She looked on Arthur with admiration in her eyes; somewhere along the line, Arthur has turned into man who was better than his father. Before her stood not the boy who cowered before Uther's words, but a future king with a very different way of thought.

"Enough Arthur," said Uther sternly. "The execution will carry on as planned; I will not appear to be weak in front of my people when it comes to a crime as terrible as sorcery."

"You'd kill an innocent girl just because you want to look strong in front of the masses!" said Arthur, rage building in his voice. "You dishonour yourself and bring shame upon Camelot with this act!"

"Honour!" shouted Uther with disgust. "Do you think it's honour that keeps the King's peace? Do you think it's honour that keeps the nobles houses under my command? It's fear Arthur, fear keeps the kingdom together in one piece and our enemies at bay!"

The entire court was silent, as if they were agreeing with the king. This ugly truth was known to everyone, but hearing the king say it out loud made it seem worse. Arthur however was silent for an another reason, and Morgana couldn't help but smile at Arthur's naivety. It seemed that the prince truly believed the kingdom was built on a foundation of honour and loyalty.

"If this is what you want to do father, so be it," said Arthur quietly. "But I'll have no part in it."

With that, Arthur tore the crown from his head and cast it upon the cold stone floor; the ring of metal against rock echoed through-out the halls, as if signifying the importance of the event that had just occurred.

"Why don't you make one of your nobles wear that crown father," said Arthur bitterly as he walked towards the doors of the throne room. "I'm sure they're willing to do whatever you want them to do."

"Guards, seize him and throw him into the dungeons," commanded Uther, his face contorted with anger. At this moment, Morgana knew that she had to act; Arthur had unwittingly given her the excuse she needed to save Gwen, and she was going to take it.

"Your Grace," said Morgana quickly. "Imagine what the people would say if you imprisoned your own son. Even more importantly, Essetir will think that we're weak because you will have made a schism within the royal family itself."

"What are you suggesting Morgana," said Uther angrily. "I cannot allow Arthur to go unpunished."

"That is exactly what you will do," said Morgana reasonably. "You will maintain the image that Camelot is united against any outside threat, and if that means letting a potential sorceress live, so be it."

"And what if she is really a sorceress," asked Uther. "Should we just let her live and let her plot against Camelot in the future?"

"I can keep a close eye on her," said Morgana firmly. "If she tries anything similar, we will know who was responsible and we can execute her with a clear conscience."

Uther seemed to consider this for a long time, breathing heavily and trying to calm himself as he did so.

"Sometimes Morgana, you sound much like Gorlois for your own good," said Uther with a resigned voice. "Guards, let him go."

The guards released Arthur and pushed him back towards Uther. His face was full of defiance and he almost seemed smug, as if he had just won a great victory.

"Very well, I will spare the girl," said Uther curtly. "And put that crown back on, or I'll name Morgana my heir the next time you take it off without my permission."

"Does that mean I have to wear it to sleep?" asked Arthur cheekily. His comment earned him a nervous laugh from the court. Morgana however was intrigued by Uther's choice of words; the King was not a man to joke around and she felt that something was not quite right, but couldn't figure out why.

"You are all dismissed," commanded Uther. "The execution will be cancelled; inform the people that we caught and slew the sorceress responsible for the plague. Since you care so much Arthur, you can go release the girl from her cell."

The various dignitaries bowed and left the court, but Morgana did not notice them. She only saw Merlin grinning from ear to ear, as if telling her that he knew that it would have all worked out in the end. Morgana pretended not to notice him as she strode out from the throne room; while a part of her wanted to apologize to Merlin, she could not bring herself to do it. Morgana knew that she had been right about Uther, and there was no doubt in her mind that the day would come when the King's hatred of magic would put all of them in peril yet again.

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><p><strong>AN:** I promise things will pick up very quickly after this chapter because I can really get into the political manoeuvring and romance subplots after this! Please review and tell me if you liked it or not! I love all my reviews, even if it's just a one liner, so please post one if you can take a second or two out of your day.

[1] Really, Nimueh leaving her mark on the eggshell made no sense to me, so I changed that slightly. Why would she leave a mark unless she wanted Uther to know exactly who caused the plague? And since you can only get the shell after you kill the Afanc, does that mean that she expected her plot to fail? An unmarked shell makes much more sense; she could sow suspicion in the court if nobody could tell that she was the one who cast the spell. Of course, she doesn't plan on Gaius being a complete traitor to his 'kind'.


	6. The Perfect Knight I

**Chapter 6: The Perfect Knight**

**Disclaimer:** No I still don't own Merlin or any of the characters, even though I wish I did.

**Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews, especially those from **Rya3SaberVltar** and **High Serpent King**; I love how you guys are giving me some new ideas to play around with! Sorry this update was late, but I bricked my phone and had to spend half a day to figure out how to fix it. It broke my chain of thought and I had to sit around for a while and figure out what I was going to write :(. It might also be a little short compared to what you're used to, but I am working on the next chapter as soon as I upload this. Hopefully I'll get it done in the next two days so I can actually end on the cliffie I was planning out!

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><p>Merlin grumbled to himself as he looked around the undergrowth on an overgrown forest path. Earlier that day Gaius had sent him here to pick some mushrooms for his remedies, but Merlin did not have a clue as to which accursed fungus he was supposed to be looking for. It had only been a week since he saved Camelot from the plague, but nobody recognized his deeds. Even Morgana ignored him; she was probably still angry that he had been right after all. Privately, Merlin thought that she was too prideful for her own good, but he also found that trait to be rather attractive at the same time. He sighed and turned back to the task at hand; he wouldn't get anything done if he just stood there and daydreamed about her.<p>

As he searched through the bushes, his grimy fingers found purchase on a smooth surface, something that was rather out of place in this land of stinging nettles and other spiked plants. Feeling for the strange object within his mind, he imagined invisible tendrils wrapping themselves around the foreign object. Merlin's eyes flashed gold and the object was torn from the clutches of the rotten branches and the damp dirt.

The warlock eagerly brushed the dirt off what appeared to be a wooden box. While he did not like doing Gaius's chores at all, treasure hunting was an entirely different matter. Merlin was wondering about the secrets he may have just uncovered with his new found discovery when he finally found an inscription on the side. However, his blood ran cold as he saw the words that were in his hands:

"_Contained here within is a thousand gold pieces, awarded to Ser Valiant of the Western Isles in the Grand Tournament, hosted in the 25__th__ year of the reign of Uther Pendragon, King of Camelot."_

Merlin could never forget Valiant; he was the knight who had tried to kill Arthur before he and Morgana had stopped him, but somehow he had still won the tournament anyway. With shaking hands, Merlin unlatched the box and opened it. The glint of the pure yellow metal inside shocked even Merlin to inaction for a few seconds; there was enough riches in his hands to feed an entire village for a year. Merlin heard that Valiant had been robbed and killed along the road, but now knew that was not true; no bandit would kill a knight and leave the treasure behind. He quickly put the small chest in his cloth satchel; all the while wondering how Valiant's prize could have ended up buried besides the road.

Before he could continue on with his thoughts, he heard a terrible screeching sound coming pierce his eardrums. He looked up and saw a massive creature was flying high above him, and it was so large that it eclipsed the sun. The creature had an eagle's head, but the body was lithe and powerful, similar to some of the predators that Uther had stuffed in his Great Hall. It was covered with gleaming white feathers, as it if was made entirely of pure marble. Merlin felt himself glued to the ground as the creature dived down towards him; he tried to summon his magic, but all his mind could see was the cruel yellow beak rushing towards him.

Just before the beast reached him, someone shoved him out of harm's way and onto the rough soil. Merlin watched with unfocused eyes as he saw a dark haired man swing a blade at the birdlike creature, only to have the hardened steel shatter in his hands. The beast swiped at the man, and it seemed to Merlin that the blow missed by mere inches.

"Run!" cried the unknown saviour as he extended a hand down to the warlock.

Merlin wasted no time and grabbed the man's hand and before the two men quickly ran as fast as they could through the trees. Fortunately, the creature's size meant that it wasn't capable of following them through the dense forest, and soon the enraged cries of the creature faded into the distance.

"You saved my life," panted Merlin, breathing heavily after the ordeal; he was not used to running so quickly for so long. "I'm Merlin."

"My name is Lancelot," said Lancelot weakly before he drifted off into unconsciousness. At that moment, Merlin noticed a rather ugly wound in the man's waist; it appeared the beast had not missed him as Merlin originally thought. He cursed silently to himself; he had no idea how to use healing magic at all, and he was worried that the man would bleed out before he got back to Gaius. Merlin knew that he needed to do something to stem the flow of blood, but the only thing he had left were the clothes of his back and the satchel containing both the mushrooms and the chest; somehow, it had stayed on during his frantic sprint. Fortunately for Lancelot, the warlock always wore the scarf his mother had made for him. He tied the piece of cloth tightly around the wound; it was not perfect but with a little magic, it would hold till he got back to Gaius. With a sigh, he lifted the man onto his shoulders, supporting him with his powers as he did so. It was going to be a long trip back to Camelot.

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><p>As soon as Merlin got back, he stashed the chest in his 'secret' storage space, along with his book of spells. He had a feeling the gold would come in handy for the near future, and if it didn't, well the warlock could always find some way to spend it. He hurried back out as he heard his uncle call out to him.<p>

"The wound itself is superficial, unless it gets infected," said Gaius patiently as he tried to explain to Merlin how to treat injuries properly. Merlin however was not interested in medical science; he simply wanted to know more about the man who had saved his life.

"How long before he recovers?" asked Merlin quickly before his uncle could go any further.

"His fever should pass in a day or so," said Gaius helpfully. "It was a good thing you bound the wound, else he would be looking a lot worse."

"Well, I did learn from the best," said Merlin with a smile. While Gaius did not use his own powers, it always seemed to Merlin that bringing men back from the brink of death was a form of magic in itself, even if it was 'science'.

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><p>Morgana sat quietly next to Uther as he gestured to the various nobles on his throne and signalled them to begin the daily court meeting. His recent disagreement with Arthur had left tensions running high in the court, and thus these gatherings were more stressed than usual. As usual, Arthur sat at the right hand of the king, returning to his role as the obedient prince in an effort to maintain the presence of a unified Camelot; the country had enough problems as it was. However, she saw that there was something more on Arthur's mind today, and whatever it was had him on edge.<p>

"Earlier today, I went on a scouting trip," said Arthur as he began the session. "I was supposed to check on our defences in our outlying villages, but what I found was... disturbing."

"What did you find?" said Uther with concern. The outlying villages provided most of the food that went into Camelot's granaries and were crucial to the city's survival.

"There were bodies scattered everywhere; some were even on the rooftops," said Arthur edgily. "We found no tracks, but survivors say it was a great winged creature that killed them."

"Ser Leon, I want you to go to the borders of the city at once," commanded Uther. "No refugees are to come within visible distance of the city proper."

"Your Grace," interjected Morgana. "Rumours spread fast, and it's rather hard to hide a destroyed village. Surely we can grant those people some shelter behind the city walls?"

"Letting them in will only increase the fear the people feel; rumours can be denounced, but with refugees streaming into the city, the people will panic," said Uther impatiently. "Besides, once we let them in they would make us go through our food supplies too quickly."

Morgana slowly nodded; much as she hated leaving civilians outside the walls to their fate, she believed that it made perfect sense. Still, she couldn't silence the voice in her mind that said something was not right: _"Merlin would protest if he were in your place"._ She quickly crushed that thought; that naive sorcerer had no idea how to rule, and she couldn't change Uther's mind even if she wanted to.

As Ser Leon moved to leave the throne room to do Uther's bidding, she saw a flash of annoyance in Arthur's eyes. He obviously did not want to leave people outside in the countryside to fend for themselves. As he opened his mouth to speak, Morgana gave him a fierce glare, hoping to make him stay quiet before he caused a political disaster; he'd already pushed his luck once when he saved Gwen. If Uther snapped and imprisoned Arthur, Morgana did want to think about what would happen, but none the less, her mind went through the worst case possible. Everyone knew that the people loved Arthur far more than they did Uther. If the king imprisoned him there could be some nobles who would take advantage of the situation. Some of the more ambitious lords might send out a call to arms and wage war on Uther, using Arthur's name as a rallying cry in a bid to take the throne for themselves. The last thing Camelot needed was a civil war; they had enough problems as it was.

Fortunately for everyone, Arthur noticed her gaze and immediately shut his mouth, as if reconsidering what he was going to say.

"Father, perhaps we should set up camps for the displaced men, women and children," suggested Arthur at last. "We will need them for the harvest after we kill this beast."

"It would cost too much to maintain a displaced population," said Uther exasperatedly as he waved away Arthur's concerns. "The only way we can help them is by killing this creature so they can all go back to their lives."

"As you command, father," said Arthur grudgingly. "But how do we track down and kill a creature that can fly?"

"Post sentries in all the outlying villages and double the guard on the battlements," ordered Uther. "We must test the squires and knight as many of them as possible; if this thing should make for city itself, we must be ready."

Arthur gave a quick bow before exiting the courtroom, and Morgana breathed a sigh of relief; another day, another crisis avoided. Arthur may be good at fighting, but Morgana knew that she had always been the one who kept him alive on the political battlefield.

* * *

><p>"So Lancelot, why did you come here?" asked Merlin curiously. It had been a day since Lancelot had rescued him from the winged monster, and he had already recovered much of his strength; the man was tougher than he looked.<p>

"Ever since I was a child I've dreamed of coming here," said Lancelot. "My parents were serfs under the King of Essetir, and they had always told me that Camelot was a land of freedom and justice."

Merlin almost laughed at that comment, but he managed to turn it into a cough instead. While Camelot was a land where you could live in peace, it was by no means free; you could do anything you liked, as long as you obeyed the King and his laws. Unfortunately for Merlin, he violated said laws simply by existing. He shoved down his self pity and turned back to Lancelot, who was now watching the knights practicing in the courtyard below.

"That golden haired man, he fights well; he uses both speed and strength to his advantage," remarked Lancelot quietly as he watched the men duel below.

"So you came all the way from Essetir just to compliment Arthur?" said Merlin cheekily.

"That's Prince Arthur?" said Lancelot with surprise. "I would have expected him to be taller, given his reputation."

"I have to tell him that one!" exclaimed Merlin with a laugh. He seemed to be on friendlier terms with the prince after he had helped him defeat the Afanc, though Arthur had made him swear that he would tell nobody how Merlin had carried him back to the castle while he had been unconscious.

"You know the Prince personally?" said Lancelot with disbelieving eyes. "Forgive me, but you don't look like a squire."

"No, the King made me his manservant after I saved his life," said Merlin with an exaggerated sigh. "I've rescued him three times now, but nobody has found the need to promote me yet."

"I'm sorry," said Lancelot with a laugh. "But perhaps I can help you with that burden; it's my life's ambition to join the knights of Camelot."

"It is?" said Merlin with surprise. "Well maybe I can help you with that then."

"Don't try to inflate my ego Merlin," said Lancelot with a sad smile. "These men were trained by the best all their lives, while I learned everything I know from the sellswords that wander these lands."

"Sellswords must be better than knights then," said Merlin. "I've seen you in action. You could shame the great Arthur himself!"

"You jest Merlin," said Lancelot with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Not at all!" said Merlin. "In fact, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to talk to him right now."

Before Lancelot could have second thoughts, he ran out the door towards the courtyard. The warlock personally thought that Camelot could use a knight who didn't look down to everyone else.

* * *

><p>Merlin walked into the stone courtyard, just in time to hear Arthur give yet another one of his 'motivational' speeches. It seemed to him that the prince loved to put down anyone and everyone around him.<p>

"Right, you jumped up dung beetles, this is it," shouted Arthur loudly for all the men in the courtyard. "This is your final trial; pass it and you will be counted among the best warriors alive in the realm, a Knight of Camelot. Fail, and you will be disgraced, and you will return to your father with your tail between your legs."

"Then let's get it over with already!" shouted one of the squires. Merlin did not remember his name or his house, but he clearly important; hardly anyone dared to interrupt Arthur while he was talking.

"I wouldn't be so eager if I were you, Grummond," replied Arthur with a smirk. "For you face the most feared of all foes, a god amongst insects; you face me."

Merlin had to restrain himself from falling to the ground and laughing his head off. Fortunately for him, he barely managed to succeed in turning his laugh into a series of coughs and horrible choking noises. It was a good thing that nobody was looking in his direction. _"God amongst insects"? _Arthur ego was definitely in overdrive today; either that or he was trying his best to intimidate the potential knights.

"Forgive me sire, but I recall Ser Valiant defeating you while his ankle was broken," drawled Grummond, earning a few sniggers from the rest of the squires. "If you're a god, then what does that make him?"

"We'll soon see if your sword is as sharp as your mouth," said Arthur with a scowl. "You're challenged to last one minute free combat against me. Step forwards, Grummond, second son of Duke Wessex."

Merlin didn't know much about swordplay, but he did know that most fights were over in a minute or less. Most men didn't have enough stamina to gauge and react on their opponent's movements after that time, and whoever didn't tire first would win. Lasting one minute against Arthur was probably the same as being just as skilled as him.

Arthur raised his sword above his head and to his right, pointing the metre long blade in the direction of Grummond's throat. It was a classic stance that almost all knights of Camelot used, though Merlin still hadn't figured out why. Grummond however held his sword directly over his head, angled for a strike from the above. He gave a loud battle cry and leapt forwards to strike at Arthur, only to have his sword countered at the apex of its swing; Arthur had predicted his amateur strike almost instantly. The prince quickly took one step black after countering the blow, causing Grummond to overbalance for a split second. That was all the time Arthur needed to ram the hilt of his sword into the man's neck, knocking him to the ground. As much as Merlin hated to admit it, it seemed to him that Arthur was really the best warrior in the realm.

"Take him away," said Arthur disdainfully. Two burly guards quickly hoisted the injured man onto a stretcher. Merlin had no doubt Gaius would be expected to heal the man later in the day. The court physician cures the men, only so that Arthur could send them back a few days later; it was a constant source of frustration for his uncle.

As the man was carried away to Gaius's chambers, Arthur turned to Merlin with a look of annoyance on his face.

"Grummund's the third to fail today," complained Arthur. "How am I meant to defend Camelot with rubbish like him?"

"Well you could always bring Morgana down to observe," joked Merlin. "The men always seem to fight better when she's watching."

"You know how much that would annoy her? She would much rather spend her time combing her hair, or whatever she does in that room all day," said Arthur with a smile. "Although now that I think of it, it might not be such a bad idea after all."

"No really," said Merlin quickly, trying to fix his mistake before it was too late. "I was just joking with you!"

"I thought so," said Arthur with a sagely nod. "You would never be so intelligent otherwise."

Merlin sighed; he knew that someone was going to pay for this, and it would probably be him. Suddenly, he remembered his real purpose here; he was supposed to introduce Lancelot to Arthur, not to aggravate Morgana.

"Wait!" shouted Merlin as Arthur motioned to a guard to send the man to fetch Morgana. "I might know a man who could be a good knight, and that's without Morgana watching him."

"You haven't the faintest idea what it takes to become a knight," said Arthur exasperatedly. "What's so special about this man?"

"He saved my life!" said Merlin indignantly.

"From what, a field mouse?" asked Arthur with a chuckle. "I'm sure he's very heroic when compared to you."

"No, no, no. He's really good!" said Merlin. "I swear on it."

"So according to you, he's very good, saved your life and yet I've never heard of this man," said Arthur curiously. "Which house does he belong to?"

House? Merlin could almost hear his thoughts buzzing inside his own head. If Arthur had mentioned houses, then it must mean that he expected the man to be a noble.

"Errr, he's from the house of Northumbria," stuttered Merlin at last. He didn't know many houses, but he had overheard someone at court say something about those lands recently. He hoped it wasn't too important, else Arthur would surely see through his ruse.

"Northumbria?" asked Arthur with a confused look. It was fortunate for the warlock that Arthur himself had never paid much attention to the multitude of lords that served Uther. "Very well, bring him to the training ground tomorrow; make sure he brings his seal of nobility."

"I'll return to him at once Arthur," said Merlin with relief. "I'm sure his lordship would be very pleased to hear the news."

* * *

><p>Merlin returned to his chambers to find Lancelot pacing in the dining room. He had obviously seen Merlin talking with Arthur in the courtyard below, and there was a spark of excitement in his eyes.<p>

"Well? Did you speak to him?" asked Lancelot hurriedly.

"I'm sure you watched every moment of it," said Merlin with a knowing smile.

"You know full well that I didn't catch a single word," said Lancelot as he tried to keep the excitement out of his face. "For all I know, you just talked about the weather. So tell me, what did he say?"

Merlin pretended to be disappointed; he loved playing practical jokes, but he suspected that performing them on Arthur was a one way ticket to the stocks, so he hadn't had many 'victims' lately.

"I knew it," said Lancelot with a sigh. "He has his pick of the best and bravest in the land, who am I to him?"

"He said he would like to meet you," said Merlin slowly, smiling as he saw a wide grin break out on Lancelot's face.

"I don't know how to thank you Merlin, you don't know what this means to me!" exclaimed Lancelot with elation; a fire seemed to burn in his eyes as he said so.

"It was the least I could do after you saved my life," said Merlin warmly. "Although... you're not a nobleman, by any chance, are you?"

"A nobleman?" asked Lancelot with both shock and laughter clear in his voice. "Good lord, Merlin, I already told you my parents were serfs; can you be a nobleman and a serf at the same time?"

"It's just that there's this..." began Merlin hesitantly. Before he could finish however, Gaius entered the room, his face contained the same look it did when he told someone that their loved ones were dead.

"The First Code of Camelot states that only those of noble blood can serve as a knight," explained Gaius in a regretful voice. "Uther created the knights to protect his kingdom from those who wished to overthrow his rule."

"And of course he chose them from the families that had sworn allegiance to him," finished Lancelot with a sad shake of his head. "The nobility."

"Ever since that day, only the sons of noble families have served as knights," said Gaius with a nod.

"But that is not fair!" cried Merlin. Lancelot was a good man, certainly more noble than the rest of those bootlickers who pranced in front of Uther.

"Your uncle is right," said Lancelot with a firm but sad voice. "Life isn't fair, and I didn't expect the King to trust a commoner like me to serve among his elite."

"I'm glad you understand Lancelot," said Gaius with a small smile. "See Merlin, you should learn to be more like this young man here; it would would certainly help keep you out of trouble."

* * *

><p>Merlin invited Lancelot along on a small walk on Camelot's battlements after the depressing talk Gaius gave him, and he quickly accepted. They spent a while gazing out into the countryside, observing the beauty of Camelot in all its glory. The rolling grassy hills, combined by the hazy orange sunset seemed to ease Lancelot's mind and take away his troubles.<p>

"Why do you want to be a knight so much?" asked Merlin, breaking the silence.

Lancelot gazed at Merlin for a while, as if considering if he should answer the warlock's question or not.

"When I was a boy, my village was attacked by raiders from the northern plains," said Lancelot at last, his voice cracking from emotions long buried. "Everyone I knew and loved were cut down before my very eyes. I alone escaped."

"That's terrible," said Merlin softly. He knew it was a stupid response, but he did not know what to say. Lancelot however didn't seem to notice, lost in his thoughts as he was.

"On that day, I vowed that never again would I be helpless in the face of tyranny. I travelled the lands, seeking knowledge in the art of combat from whoever would teach it to me," continued Lancelot. "I finally deemed myself ready a few months ago and set out towards Camelot. And now the dreams I bled for seems like they will amount to nothing more than a puff of smoke."

"There's always hope," said Merlin firmly, shocking even himself with the determination in his voice. "Whatever it takes, I will make this right."

* * *

><p>Morgana turned uncomfortably in her soft feathered bed as she recalled the day's events; she still could not believe that Arthur had the gall to drag her along to his idiotic practice sessions. Almost all the squires had leered at her as they stepped up to face the prince. Morgana vaguely recognize them all; many of them had no doubt attended the various feasts Uther liked to host. No doubt that most of them were sons of rich lords that kept Uther's coffers full. The King had tried to marry her off to one of the abrasive and spoilt boys, but fortunately she had always been able to convince Uther that it would be in the best interests of Camelot for her to stay unmarried. She had almost been glad when Arthur crushed every single one of the squires in combat; no doubt one of them would have proposed if they had defeated the so called 'best warrior in the realm'.<p>

Suddenly, she heard a soft knock outside her room; there was only one person who would dare to come to her chambers at this hour. Ordinarily Gwen would be sleeping in the room to serve her needs throughout the entire night, but after her ordeal in Camelot's dungeons, Morgana had allowed her to return home to her father each night. She sighed and got up from her bed, her bare feet chilled by the cold marble floor. When she reached the thick wooden doors, she flung them open with more force than was needed; she was tired and was really not in the mood for a discussion with the sorcerer.

"Merlin," said Morgana as she gazed at him with her piercing emerald eyes. If looks could kill, she was sure that Merlin would be dead by now. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't call the guards and have you sent away for disturbing my rest."

"Morgana, you don't mean that!" said Merlin with a hurt look. "I just wanted to ask you a question; you're the only one I trust with it."

For a moment, Morgana considered doing exactly what she had threatened to do, but she knew it would be petty of her to have Merlin arrested. He had saved Camelot from the plague, despite taking huge risks and almost dooming Gwen in the process. Besides, the winged creature terrorizing the countryside almost certainly a magical creature, and perhaps Merlin could help Camelot in that regard.

"Come in quickly then," said Morgana tersely. She quickly shut the doors as soon as Merlin stepped into her room; she hoped nobody had seen him, else his head would be on a pike by dawn, and her reputation would be ruined.

Merlin walked awkwardly in her room, as if he didn't know where he could stand so that the situation would be more 'proper'; there was no solution because there was nothing about the meeting that was appropriate. Morgana sat on the edges of her bed and looked at Merlin with an impassive mask. Morgana was intensely curious about the warlock's visit, but she would be damned before she let the boy know that.

"So why did you need to come see me?" asked Morgana impatiently. "Could it not wait until the morning?"

To her surprise, Merlin seemed to be unwilling to meet her eyes; in fact he was looking everywhere except at her. With a start Morgana realised that she was still in her nightdress and she couldn't stop the heat slowly rushing up to her face; it was fortunate that she was in near total darkness, so Merlin couldn't see her embarrassment. Despite the compromising clothes she was wearing, Morgana couldn't help but smile inwardly to herself. Although Merlin was a commoner, he was far more respectful than all of those so called 'nobles' put together. With one swift movement, Morgana slipped back under her covers, and the warlock turned to face her with a anxious grin on his face.

"Erm, well I was hoping that nobody would see me if I came to you at night," said Merlin hesitantly. "Anyway, I thought you could help me with a small problem that I have."

"So you came here in the middle of the night to ask a favour of me," said Morgana exasperately. "Why should I help you? Do you think I haven't forgotten how you almost doomed us all with your suicidal 'plan'?"

"It was better than killing the king and framing an innocent man for his death," protested Merlin. "Besides, it succeeded in the end, so what exactly are you complaining about?"

"You took a huge risk," retorted Morgana. "Not to mention that Gwen would be nothing more than a charred body by now if Arthur had remained passive; you risked everything just so your own conscience could be clean!"

Morgana's eyes flared with a brief golden glow as she let her anger flow out of her, shocking Merlin into total silence. However, Morgana herself did not notice anything different at all; she merely felt smug as the warlock gazed at her in a stunned stupor.

'_Finally' _thought Morgana._ 'Now that he realised what he a fool he had been, perhaps he'll listen to my advice in the future'._ For the King's ward, it felt liberating to vent at the sorcerer, but even she couldn't stay angry at the boy for long. Despite his foolish nature, his naivety reminded her of simpler days when she could see the world in black and white.

"Don't worry Merlin, I forgive you," said Morgana with a softer voice; the boy's look was one of utter shock, and she couldn't help but smile at him. "Now tell me why you came; I'm sure it wasn't so that you could apologize to me."

"Ummm, yes, I came to ask you about a seal of nobility," stuttered Merlin, still unnerved by what he had just witnessed. "Do you know how I could get one?"

"Thinking of making yourself a noble?" asked Morgana with a laugh. "You certainly don't look like the ambitious type."

"No, no, it's for a friend of mine," said Merlin quickly, not wanting to give away too many details.

"You're going to help someone pretend to be a noble?" asked Morgana amusedly. "Now you intrigue me; very well, I'll help you on one condition."

"And what's that?" said Merlin suspiciously. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he told himself that it was probably going to cost him dearly, but he pushed the thought down. Whatever it was couldn't be worse than mucking out the stables for Arthur.

"I don't know yet," said Morgana mysteriously. "But you will own me a favour, and I can think of many occasions where having a sorcerer on my side would be rather useful."

"Alright, I agree to your terms," said Merlin resignedly. "So how do I get a seal of nobility?"

"You'll need to go down to the library; Uther stores the records of all the noble houses there," said Morgana. "Find the book and copy the family crest in exact detail, along with the watermark."

"That's it?" asked Merlin with surprise; he had obviously believed that it had to be more complicated than that.

"It's no small feat; it takes an ordinary man many months to copy an image in such fine detail, but I suspect it won't be a problem for a sorcerer like you," replied Morgana dismissively. "Of course, even the seal won't help you if Uther suspects your friend, but I trust that won't be a problem?"

"He might have to meet Uther at some point," said Merlin edgily. "But he has so many lords in his court; surely he won't recognise one extra man?"

"I'm sure I can assuage his suspicions if the need arises," said Morgana reassuringly. "But then you'll owe me a very large favour. Now leave me; I'm very tired and your late night visits are not helping me sleep."

As Merlin left the room, Morgana couldn't help but wonder about the man who Merlin wanted to help. If it had been anyone apart from Merlin who had asked for her help, she would have refused instantly, but she had a feeling that Merlin wasn't one to do anything that would threaten Camelot. Still, she worried for the boy; there was always a chance that his 'friend' was using him for some nefarious purpose. She would have to watch this man carefully; he could be someone just like Merlin, or someone who wanted to use Merlin's trust to gain what he could never have if he acted alone.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I know, introducing new characters take time, and I'm sorry if nothing much happened in this chapter! However, you can rest assured that I'm working on the next chapter as soon as this is uploaded; I really want to give you the cliffie I was planning out :P. Please review if you can spare a minute or two; they really encourage me to write faster, and I really want to know what you think of this chapter! Who knows, maybe I'll have the next chapter up in about two days or so!

P.S If you noticed how I changed Lancelot's character a little, can please tell me if you like it or not?


	7. The Perfect Knight II: Revelation

**Chapter 7: The Perfect Knight (Part 2: Revelation)**

**Author's Note: **As I promised, I finished the next chapter quickly because I had so many ideas floating in my head already. This chapter is dedicated to all my regular reviewers: **Alkeni**,** High Serpent King**,** morganaforever**,** Magic713**, and **Rya3SaberVltar**. You guys really help me write the story, whether you know it or not! This chapter contains several unexpected plot points, but I thought they were some nice ideas. As always, criticism is welcome!

I also wanted to reply to one anonymous review by **Oracleton** here because it hit the point; Merlin seems to be laughing more because I think it's his way of coping with being underappreciated by everyone around him. As for him mocking Athur and Uther, well knowing that the city would be dead if you didn't exist should give him a sense of superiority over everyone else. The fact that Uther would kill him if he found out what Merlin really was only makes it all the more ironic. (Though I should try to use the word 'laugh' less often too!)

* * *

><p>Merlin ran back to his chambers, still in shock from what he had just witnessed. He had been amazed at how quickly Morgana had embraced his powers the week before, but was it because Morgana knew that she had magic herself? It would certainly explain why she wanted Uther dead so much, but he felt there was something more to it; after all, if she did want Uther dead, Merlin was sure she would have tried again by now.<p>

Whatever the case, Merlin believed that he would have to watch Morgana carefully from now on. If she didn't know she had magic, it would be disastrous if it suddenly revealed itself when there were other people around. While he feared for her safety, a part of Merlin was glad that there was someone who possessed the same gifts he did; he had always felt so alone in Camelot before. Invigorated by this knowledge, he set out towards the library with a new found determination. As usual, all the guards in the castle seemed to be half blind; it was a simple matter to hide from the 'patrols', such as they were.

It wasn't long before Merlin entered the library proper. Unlike other castles he had heard about, this room was built to house books by the original builders of the castle. Here was a part of the sum of human knowledge, written down on fragile pieces of parchment that slowly rotted away with age. It was like a maze, with shelves upon shelves of books lining every corner of the room. The smell of parchment filled the air, as if one had entered the den of some ancient beast. It awed and saddened him at the same time; he knew that very few people came to visit this treasure trove anymore.

Soft footsteps from outside the library bought Merlin back to reality. He knew that he did not have much time, and he needed to finish his task quickly. Fortunately for Merlin, the books concerning the genealogies of the Noble houses were often edited by the keeper, Geoffrey. It didn't take him long to locate the page with the seal of the House of Northumbria and copy it onto a fresh roll of parchment. It was ironic; one single piece of parchment was all that separated the common man from a high lord. If only all men and women were judged only by their deeds, and not by their birth; the warlock thought that he would definitely qualify as a noble. For a moment, Merlin was tempted to create a seal for himself, but he instantly squashed the idea. While people may believe Lancelot was a noble, Merlin knew that his build and looks were too distinct, and someone was bound to realise that his seal was forged. Still, the look on Arthur's face as he declared himself to be the son of some faraway lord would almost be worth facing the executioner's axe.

With the piece of parchment safely in his grasp, he sneaked back to his chambers undetected and instantly fell into his bed. He had a feeling that it would be a long day tomorrow; he had to somehow convince an honest man to lie in front of the king; that would not be an easy task.

* * *

><p>"Wake up Ser Lancelot!" said Merlin in his usual cheerful voice. "I have a gift for you."<p>

"I'm no 'Ser'," said Lancelot sleepily. "And what's that in your hand?"

"This is your one and only chance of fulfilling your dreams milord," said Merlin seriously. "You are Lancelot, the fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria."

"How is this possible..." said Lancelot with shock in his voice. "No Merlin, this isn't right!"

"So you no longer want to be a knight then?" asked Merlin. While almost all the men in the kingdom would have seized the chance to escape from the tedious cycle of ordinary life, Lancelot's morals seemed to be preventing him from doing so.

"Of course I do!" said Lancelot with a torn voice. "But it would be a lie; it's against everything the knights stand for."

"Tell me Lancelot, who made these laws concerning who was worthy of being a knight?" asked Merlin with a serious voice.

"The King, Uther Pendragon," said Lancelot. "Everyone knows that, but what does it have to do with anything?"

"I don't know if you know your history, but before he was a king, Uther was just a man," said Merlin in a sagely voice that surprised himself. "Uther conquered this kingdom, even though he had no right to it in the first place. This piece of paper isn't what makes you a noble; your actions and morals should be the only thing that matters."

Lancelot paused, as if considering Merlin's words carefully. Finally, he gave a nearly imperceptible nod, as if the very idea of not telling the truth was still alien to him. Merlin didn't give him a chance to reconsider; it was time to make Lancelot a knight, and he knew exactly who could help him with that.

* * *

><p>Lancelot stood as still as a statue while a bronze skinned girl carefully put on his new suit of armour. It still fascinated him how women were treated so differently in Camelot; back in Essetir, women were generally see and not heard. Lancelot always suspected that it was fear that made the men in Essetir treat their women so badly; perhaps they were afraid that they would be able to usurp their place in society if they did not control them. He turned back to look at the young woman in front of him; although she was not overly attractive compared to other women he had met in his travels, she exuded an aura of genuine kindness that was all too rare in this world.<p>

"This is very kind of you, Miss..." said Lancelot smoothly.

"Gwen," said Guinevere, her gaze darting towards his eyes for a short moment. "It's short for Guinevere."

"Guinevere," said Lancelot slowly as he tested the name. "That's a lovely name; I think it suits you."

Gwen blushed and looked in Merlin's direction, as if she was asking for help. Lancelot gave her a quick smile to reassure her, but somehow that seemed to make things worse.

"Well anyway, you don't have to thank me; Merlin there did all the work," said Gwen nervously. "He even paid my father to make the armour for you!"

"You paid for the armour?" said Lancelot with shock evident in his voice. "But how? I thought I would just be receiving an old suit from the armoury."

"Oh don't worry about it," said Merlin with knowing smile. "You need to look like a noble, and I spared no expense; besides, I have plenty of gold on hand."

Lancelot was beginning to suspect that there was far more to the boy he had saved that he had originally suspected. He was an enigma; sometimes he would seem wise beyond his years, but at other times he could be impossibly immature as well. Whatever the case, he had no doubt that Merlin was concealing something from him, and he didn't want to pry further. He quickly turned back to Gwen; the girl was a much simpler person to understand, and he didn't want to dwell on Merlin's secret.

"Even if Merlin did pay for the armour, I have to thank the both of you for aiding me me; I'm just a man from some faraway land, and it humbles me to think that the two of you would help me."

"Well I think it's great that Merlin's got you this chance," said Gwen shyly. "We need men like you."

"Someone who was trained by numerous sellswords?" asked Lancelot with a raised eyebrow. "Why am I getting the feeling that you're only trying to make me feel better about this false seal of nobility?"

"No, it's true!" protested Gwen. "Camelot needs knights like you; someone who isn't a high lord who sits in his castle all day."

"Well I'm not a knight yet, milady," said Lancelot respectfully.

"I serve a lady," said Gwen with an embarrassed smile. "I'm not one myself."

"You do?" asked Lancelot with surprise. "Strange, where I come from you would not be allowed to leave your mistress on the pain of death."

"Sounds like a horrible place," said Gwen. "But the Lady Morgana is more of a friend than a mistress."

"Perhaps I'll get to meet her someday," said Lancelot. "But I doubt she could be half as pleasant as you are."

"I think you'll see her soon enough; Arthur dragged her down to watch the knights train," said Gwen with a light laugh. "Don't worry, she might seem intimidating the first time round, but she really cares about people like you and me."

"Well thank you again, Guinevere," said Lancelot. Privately he was intrigued with this 'Lady Morgana'. It was a rare woman who could intimidate a man, and Lancelot would very much like to meet her.

* * *

><p>Morgana watched with feigned contempt as Arthur disarmed yet another one of his opponents. While she was still angry at being dragged out here to watch the men fight, she was also glad for the break in her monotonous routine. When she was younger, her father had allowed her to train with his own squires; she was like the son that he never had. In those days she was used to being underestimated when she held a blade, and it was all too easy to exploit the arrogance of all the boys she had fought against. Uther had of course banned such practices, saying that it was not proper for a lady to fight at all; no doubt he was afraid that she would scare off her would be suitors. Even so, she still held great admiration for the art of swordplay; in many ways it was similar to politics. All it took was one false move, and you would be defeated before you even realised it.<p>

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a handsome young man wearing the armour of the house of Northumbria walking besides Merlin. Morgana realised instantly that this must be the man Merlin forged the seal of nobility for. She watched the man with an eagle-eyed gaze as he walked up to Arthur in a manner that was altogether far too respectful.

"What is it?" asked Arthur with an annoyed expression on his face.

"My name is Lancelot," said Lancelot with an air of false confidence. "I'm the fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria, here to request to serve as a knight under your command."

Morgana couldn't resist smiling at the man; did he really forge a seal of nobility just so he could become a knight? The very idea of it seemed ludicrous to her; to become a noble just so you could be ordered around by men like Arthur. Perhaps he was using it as a cover to assassinate Uther, but she doubted that; they would have sent someone who acted more like a genuine noble, someone who would lick Uther's boots before he stabbed the king in his back.

"Lance...a lot?" said Arthur with a depreciating snort. "My servant mentioned you. I presume you have your seal?"

"Sire," said Lancelot as he bowed and presented his fake seal.

Morgana shook her head almost imperceptibly; while he looked as well built as any noble, he had none of the arrogance that most nobles carried around with themselves. Still, she did not expect Arthur to see through his ruse; the prince had never been one to judge people properly. However, she couldn't help but think that Lancelot's humbleness had a certain charm that appealed to her. She stopped her chain of thought as she saw Arthur draw his training sword with a flash and press it to Lancelot's neck; no doubt he was trying to prove his superiority to Lancelot, as he did with all his men.

"Sluggish reactions," remarked Arthur. "On a battlefield you'd be dead by now; come back when you're ready."

"Sire, on a battlefield I would not expect a friend to try and strike me down," said Lancelot calmly as he pushed away the blunted metal blade. "I'm ready now."

Morgana almost laughed aloud at the man's audacity. It seemed to her that Merlin had found someone who was almost exactly like himself; there was no doubt in her mind that Lancelot genuinely came to become a knight. After all, no assassin would be so bold as to attract the attention of the king's son.

"You are, are you?" said Arthur as he glared at the man who had dared to argue with him. "Fine. You can start by cleaning out the stables."

"Arthur," interjected Morgana. "Do you think this is a man is your servant? Think of what Lord Eldred would say if he knew that you sent his son to clean your own stables."

"I couldn't care less about what Lord Eldred has to say," said Arthur with a smirk. He quickly turned back to address Lancelot. "If you really want to be a knight, you will do as I command."

Lancelot looked at Morgana for a second, as if thanking her for trying to help him. She ignored him; all she wanted to do was to prove to Arthur that he could not force those beneath him to do whatever he wanted them to do. Unfortunately, Lancelot bowed to Arthur and slowly went off towards the stables. Morgana gave Arthur a look of pure disdain as Arthur returned her gaze with a victorious smile. Why was it that she was the only one who would stand up to the irritable prince?

* * *

><p>Lancelot slowly shovelled the horse dung into one corner of the stables. Despite the situation, he smiled to himself; he had done worse in his time, and if this was what it took to be a knight, so be it. Suddenly, he noticed he was being watched from a distance by them same stunningly beautiful woman he had saw earlier this day, clad in a flowing violet cloak. He shifted himself into the most dignifying position possible; this woman had tried to help to him today, though he was still not sure why.<p>

"Do you really think this is what the fifth son of a great lord would do?" said the lady in a casual voice. "Shovelling dung for the Prince of Camelot."

"Forgive me, but we have not been introduced; my name is Lancelot, and you are?" asked Lancelot boldly, gazing directly into her emerald eyes. He had a feeling that he had to stay strong in front of this woman; it was almost as if she was testing him.

"I am the Lady Morgana, the ward of King Uther Pendragon," said Morgana dismissively. "But I suspect you knew that already; no doubt Merlin had already told you about me."

"He has?" asked Lancelot cautiously. He had no idea if this lady knew that he wasn't really a noble, but if she knew Merlin...

"I suppose he failed to mention that it was I who told him how to obtain your false seal in the first place?" said Morgana with a superior smirk on her face. "Relax, I won't betray your secret; it's much more interesting to watch your progress instead."

"Why are you helping me?" asked Lancelot with surprise; he did not expect himself to find an ally among the nobility, never mind someone who had the ear of the King himself.

"Why does Merlin trust you?" retorted Morgana, not answering his question. "What is your real purpose here?"

"I wish to serve as a knight; to protect the helpless and defend this realm from those who would threaten it," said Lancelot truthfully. "As for Merlin, I helped him flee from that winged creature."

Morgana gazed at him for a while, as if trying to tell if he was telling the truth. He stared directly back at her; he had nothing to hide, and he wanted her to know that.

"So it's true," said Morgana with a light laugh. "You got that seal just so you could become a knight; never realising that being the son of the most powerful northern lord would make you a very powerful man."

"I care nothing for politicking the high lords love so much," said Lancelot with a hurt look on his face; did this women believe he would be capable of such a vile deed? To use a friend's trust to increase his own personal power?

"Never the less, that is a game you will have to play," said Morgana with a smile. "The court will be very shaken by your arrival. They will be trying to gain your 'father's' favour through you, and if you want to survive you will have to do exactly as I say."

"So it's all just a game for you?" asked Lancelot angrily. "Are we all just puppets to you? So you can pull our strings and watch us dance?"

"Very good," remarked Morgana. "I see there is some fire in you after all; it was a pity you didn't show it to Arthur today when he ordered you to clean this... place."

"He is the prince," said Lancelot slowly, not fully understanding what Morgana was getting at. "I am honour bound to obey his word."

"Is that what you believe?" said Morgana sarcastically. "Remember Lancelot, you were supposed to be born into privilege; you've had servants doting on your every word since you could speak. If you must pretend to be a noble, first you must act like one."

"What's your point?" asked Lancelot as he slowly understood what Morgana was trying to tell him. While he did not understand the intentions of this woman at all, it seemed to him that she could be more dangerous than Arthur could ever be. Unfortunately, he had always been drawn to danger.

"Arthur may be an idiot, but his father is anything but," said Morgana curtly. "If you wish to live through the coming days, you will heed my advice."

With that, she swiftly left the stables, leaving Lancelot alone to ponder her words.

* * *

><p>"Gwen, what do you think of Merlin's new friend?" asked Morgana as her maid helped her change into a different dress; she had ruined her previous one by going down to the stables.<p>

"Lancelot?" asked Gwen with surprise. "He seemed like a good man to me; why do you ask?"

Morgana recalled their brief conversation they just had with perfect clarity. Nobody had dared to challenged her in such a direct manner before. They either simpered and bowed, or they expected her to do exactly as she was told. Lancelot was different; he had treated her as an equal despite his lower birth. Somehow she didn't think she could describe her current judgement of Lancelot to her maid.

"I am interested in what he will do," said Morgana at last. "But he needs all the help he can get if he is to pretend to be a noble for the rest of his life."

"Do you think you could help him?" asked Gwen hesitantly.

"Do you want me to help him?" asked Morgana curiously. She was surprised by the worried tone in Guinevere's voice; had Lancelot captured the attention of her maid?

"I think Camelot needs more men like him," said Gwen. "Someone who will stand up for what is right, no matter the cost to himself."

Morgana slowly considered her maid's words. This man was different from the rest; he seemed believed in a strong moral code that compelled him to protect the weak; it took her a moment to realise that he almost reminded her of her father. At that moment, she made her decision; she would not let another honourable man die at Uther's hand.

"I'll do what I can Gwen," said Morgana reassuringly as her maid finished typing up the last straps on her dress. "But first, I need to go see a mutual friend."

* * *

><p>Morgana walked confidently though the halls to Gaius's chambers. None of the guards questioned her; it was common knowledge that she occasionally sought sleeping draughts from the court physician. As she knocked on the wooden door however, she prayed that it would be Merlin and not Gaius who opened the door; she needed someone who Lancelot could trust, and Merlin was the perfect fit. She released the breath that she had been subconsciously holding when the young sorcerer finally opened the door; it would have been hard to convince the physician to let her inside and talk to Merlin.<p>

"Morgana!" exclaimed Merlin with surprise. "Don't worry, Gaius isn't here, you can come in."

Morgana didn't wait as she entered the room for the second time in a week; it was strange how she was seeing this boy so often; in days past she would never had cause to leave her own chambers for weeks on end.

"So what are you doing here this time?" asked Merlin inquisitively as he locked the door behind her. "Thanks to you, I already got the seal for Lancelot; it's working out perfectly."

"If only it was so easy," said Morgana with a superior smile. "That piece of parchment isn't all that matters; for Lancelot to fool Uther, he will have to have to act like a noble."

"You don't think he's arrogant enough?" said Merlin with a sigh. "I thought as much myself."

"He might be able to fool Arthur, but Uther is an entirely different matter," said Morgana. "However, there might be a way around his lack of acting talent."

"So how do we convince Uther he's a genuine noble?" asked Merlin.

"If he presents Uther with riches as a gift from his 'father', surely it would ease some of his doubts," said Morgana in a conspiratorial tone. "High lords often try to gain the king's favour with gold; no doubt he expects Lord Eldred's 'son' to do the same. All you have to do is obtain it from the treasury unnoticed."

"Stealing from the treasury?" asked Merlin with what seemed like mock concern. "That seems rather hard; fortunately I already have this treasure on hand."

Merlin bent down towards a floorboard and retrieved a small wooden object that seemed all too familiar. A small gasp escaped from Morgana's throat as she realised that it was the exact same chest that she had cast aside when she had killed Valiant, the knight who planned to slay Arthur in front of all of Camelot. Unbidden, the image of the serving boy she had killed came wafting back in her mind, as if his spirit was still trying to torment her.

"Are you alright?" asked Merlin with concern in his voice. Morgana desperately tried to maintain some semblance of normality; it would not do at all for the boy to find out that she had killed Valiant; he would start asking too many questions.

"It's nothing,"" said Morgana quickly as she tried to regain her composure. Merlin tilted his head to one side, knowing that something was wrong but not quite sure what. He opened the chest for her to look, and there it was; nearly a thousand gold coins, all packed up neatly into the small wooden box.

"That will be sufficient," said Morgana in voice that was slightly shaky; she hoped Merlin did not notice it.

"I found it by the side of the road," said Merlin, apparently not noticing how unnerved Morgana was. "It says here that it was the very same chest that Uther gave to Valiant; what I don't understand is why someone would kill him and leave his gold behind."

"I don't know," said Morgana quickly. "Why does it matter; he's dead either way."

"Yes but still, it just seems to me something is not quite right," said Merlin.

"Well it seems that you have everything in place," said Morgana abruptly, she felt the urge to leave the room before Merlin realised that something was wrong. "I hope it will be enough to fool Uther; if not we'll just have to find another way."

* * *

><p>Merlin scratched his head as Morgana left; he would never be able to judge her intentions. One moment she could be completely ruthless, the other she could almost be as compassionate as Gwen. Whatever the case, it was a very good thing that Morgana had an interest in keeping Lancelot alive; the man would need all the help he could get. He still had not asked her if she knew that she had magic either, but he suspected that it had not been a good time to approach such a delicate subject.<p>

At that moment, Lancelot entered the room, covered in dirt from head to toe. He definitely did not look like the part of a noble at all.

"Lancelot, you really need to start standing up for yourself," said Merlin exasperatedly. "There's no way Arthur's going to take you seriously if you act like you're his servant."

"You're the second person to tell me that today, but you said it in a much clearer way," said Lancelot with half a smile. "The Lady Morgana come to see me at the stables."

"She went to see you directly?" said Merlin with surprise. "What did she say?"

"I'm not sure myself," said Lancelot with a laugh. "But I had a feeling she was trying to get under my skin."

"Don't worry, I'm sure she wants you to succeed; she would already have revealed your secret to Arthur if she didn't," said Merlin reassuringly; he of all people knew exactly how intimidating Morgana could be.

Before Lancelot could respond, Gaius walked into the room, almost dropping his potions as he saw the sight of Lancelot covered in mud.

"I'll just go clean myself up," said Lancelot hastily as he quickly left the room, leaving Merlin to face Gaius's questioning.

"Err, he found work at the stables," said Merlin lamely.

"I see. And the truth before I lose my temper?" asked Gaius in a frustrated voice.

"He's trying to become a knight; Arthur told him to clean the stables," said Merlin with a sigh. Why could he never lie to his uncle?

"The First Code of Camelot has never been broken for any man," said Gaius angrily. "What have you done Merlin?"

"Alright, I bent the law, but they were unjust," said Merlin defiantly.

"You used magic to fool Arthur, didn't you Merlin?" said Gaius in a low voice. "It's often the first step towards the path of ruin that has claimed so many sorcerers before you; many of those with magic consider themselves to be above the laws of 'lesser men'."

"I would follow the law if it was right!" said Merlin angrily. "Why is Uther allowed to control everyone else? He made all these stupid rules; are you saying he's infallible?"

"Yes!" snapped Gaius. "At the end of the day, Uther is the one who controls the army; he maintains order and we must follow his laws, no matter if they are right or wrong. The day we stop believing in him is the day chaos will reign over Camelot."

"We shouldn't let tyranny control us," said Merlin quietly. "I will do the right thing, no matter what it costs me. I owe Lancelot my life; the only way I can pay for that debt is by giving him the opportunity he deserves. If you want to punish me for it, go ahead."

To Merlin's surprise, Gaius did not respond. However it seemed that there was a mix of very conflicting emotions on his uncle's face. Merlin couldn't decide if it was fear, anger or respect. Whatever the case, at least he wasn't being yelled at anymore.

* * *

><p>Lancelot walked along the streets of Camelot, considering the words both Merlin and Morgana had given him as he did so. They had implied that he was too meek; that he shouldn't just do what the Prince told him to do. He remembered that back among the mercenaries he travelled with, any sign of respect was considered a weakness. Perhaps it was the same with the nobles in Camelot; maybe he had been too naive in assuming that by showing respect, he would receive the same in return. With this in mind, he walked directly towards the training courtyard. It was time to show Prince Arthur exactly what he could do.<p>

"Sire," said Lancelot in a loud voice as he approached the Prince.

"I thought I told you to sharpen the swords in the armoury," said Arthur with a smirk.

"Do you think me a servant?" asked Lancelot as he tried to inject a sense of righteous anger into his voice. "Perhaps you're sending me to do all these menial tasks because you're afraid to face me."

From the corner of his eye, he spied the Lady Morgana, giving him a small nod. It was enough to convince Lancelot to stay on his present course; she obviously thought he was doing something right. Without warning, Arthur pulled a training sword from the training rack and tossed it directly towards Lancelot. The dark haired man reacted instantly, twisting his body to avoid the blade and catching the handle as it passed him.

"Not bad," said Arthur in a grudging voice. "But you were completely off the mark, I merely thought you weren't worth my attention; perhaps I was wrong after all."

"My father once said that words alone count for nothing," said Lancelot boldly. "Can you back up your words with steel?"

"I could cut you down before you could blink," said Arthur dismissively.

Before Lancelot could respond, the Prince drew his own sword and swung a powerful blow at Lancelot's torso. Lancelot barely had time to take a step back and readied his own sword. Despite the life threatening situation, Lancelot smiled to himself. At long last, he was in his own element; he swung a blow from above, aiming for the Prince's shoulders as he did so. Arthur had to shift his hand into an unnatural position to block the fast counter-attack. The prince wasted no time however, immediately slipping his blade around Lancelot's own and tried to thrust the blade towards Lancelot's heart. Unfortunately for Arthur, the fight did not end so quickly. His blow was weak because of his weakened grip, and Lancelot managed to divert the blow to his side before withdrawing by one step and resumed his stance once more.

By now a crowd had gathered around the two men; some people were even placing bets on who would win. He was surprised that the people even thought he had a chance; now he was all the more determined to defeat Arthur. With a start, Lancelot noticed that he was already breathing heavily, while Arthur had barely begun to break into a sweat.

The blows the Prince swung at him came in quickly, his blade cutting the air first above his head, before changing directions and coming at him furiously from the either side. Lancelot did not know that a sword could be used in such a fast manner, but he somehow managed to dodge or block them all. He even managed to punch Arthur in his face when the Prince overextended himself in his furious attack. As blood flowed down from Arthur's nose, the crowed drew a collective gasp of anticipation.

Lancelot noticed the guards at the gate start to move in on him, but the Prince waved them away. The golden headed man raised his sword to his right and aimed it at Lancelot's throat. He struck from above, and Lancelot attempted to move in to counter Arthur's blade, only to realise too late that the blow was a feint. The blow shifted directions and came in from the side, striking Lancelot's ribs with a sickening sound and sent him toppling to the ground. Lancelot's world burst into stars as he gasped for air, trying to recover his breath.

"Congratulations, Lancelot," said Arthur with a grudging smile. "You've just made basic training."

Lancelot barely had time to give Arthur a thankful smile when the warning bells rang, and Arthur quickly turned around and ordered his men to gather on him; the last thing Lancelot saw was the Lady Morgana giving him a worried look before his body surrendered to the pain and his world faded into blackness.

* * *

><p>"You just can't seem to keep yourself out of trouble, can you?" said Merlin as Lancelot finally came around. Gaius had spent the entire afternoon making sure that the man had no internal injuries; even training swords could kill if you hit people too hard with them.<p>

"Speak for yourself," said Lancelot with a groan. "I got exactly what I wanted, and that was Arthur's respect."

"You're a very strange man Lancelot," said Merlin with a shake of his head. "You get hurt, but you think it's a victory anyway."

"If you never fall down, how would you learn to pick yourself back up?" asked Lancelot. "Duelling with the prince taught me many things I would not have learned in any other way."

"If you say so," said Merlin. "But while you've been knocked out, something big happened."

"What?" asked Lancelot with alarm. "I recall hearing warning bells before I fell unconscious."

"I don't know," admitted Merlin. "The king has ordered an emergency meeting; but of course being a commoner, it means that I can't attend unless I'm accompanied by a noble."

"Well, since I'm a nobleman now, I might as well make use of that position," said Lancelot mischievously. "Care to help me to the meeting place?"

* * *

><p>Merlin stood on his tiptoes to try and see what was happening. He was at the back of a small crowd, and all he could see was a sea of heads. He slowly pushed his way closer towards the throne and finally caught sight of Ser Leon on his knees before the king. Merlin somehow doubted that his crime was his fault, but such was the life of a knight; you had to take blame for events beyond your own control. It still baffled Merlin's mind that Lancelot would want to become one at all.<p>

You've failed me Ser Leon," said Uther angrily. "Now all of Camelot knows that we are under attack; even worse, you showed that displayed an unacceptable level of incompetence by failing to kill this creature; you have made us appear weak to all of Albion."

"I'm sorry sire, but I had to return with the news," said Ser Leon with shame evident in his voice. "The beast came so quickly; we didn't even have time to arm ourselves. It razed the entire garrison, and last time I saw it, the beast was flying towards the city itself. I'm surprised I got here before it did."

A flying beast that killed over a hundred knights? Merlin looked at Lancelot sharply and the dark haired warrior returned his gaze with a concerned frown; they were both thinking of the same beast that had attacked Merlin. The warlock silently cursed to himself; why couldn't the gods give him a small moment of peace? Wasn't it enough that he had already saved Camelot once?

"So the beast will attack Camelot?" said Uther in an unconcerned voice. "At least we won't have to track it down then. Arthur, prepare your knights; we must destroy this creature before it does any more damage to this kingdom."

"Have faith father, we'll be ready," said Arthur with a false air of confidence.

"Your Grace," said Morgana in a clear voice, drawing the undivided attention of all the men in the room. "Perhaps we should allow those who are not knights to do battle as well; we should bring all our forces to bear on this creature and ensure that it is destroyed."

There were murmurs of agreement in the court; it was obvious that the nobles cared little for this particular tradition. Merlin himself had always found it rather odd that only knights could do battle. If only knights could fight, then why bother having guards in the first place?

"These are the traditions of Camelot, and they will not be cast aside at the slightest hint of danger!" said Uther angrily as he reasserted his authority. "Arthur, you will do as I say; go and prepare your men."

Morgana fell silent as Arthur bowed and left the throne room. While some might judge Morgana's silence to be submissiveness, Merlin knew all too well that it was something very different; it was anger. And an angry Morgana could do some very drastic deeds.

* * *

><p>Lancelot watched in silence as Arthur stood in front of his men, no doubt preparing to deliver a speech of some kind. It was strange; while the Prince did not seem physically imposing, he still had an aura of power around him; it invigorated his men. No mercenary leader had ever inspired this amount of loyalty in his troops; this was a completely different experience to Lancelot, and he wanted nothing more than to be a part of this elite group of warriors. He quelled his thoughts as Arthur drew a breath and began to speak:<p>

"The creature is heading for Camelot. It's fast, agile and extremely strong. But as powerful as it is, it is only a beast; it has the mind of an animal, while I count each of you among the best Camelot has to offer, in both mind and body. When it comes, we will show no mercy! We will cut off its head and mount it on our walls as a symbol of our unbreakable will. For the glory of Camelot!"

"The glory of Camelot!" cried out each of the knights in unison. This was the reason why Lancelot had wanted to become a knight; he longed to be among men who would fight and die for a cause that was righteous and just. Slowly, he approached Arthur, maintaining eye contact as he did so. He would not appear weak before this man; those who were worthy to fight at his side must be strong.

"Yes, Lancelot?" asked Arthur with an amiable tone. It was a vast change from the disparaging smirks he had given him just a few days before.

"I heard what the king said," said Lancelot simply. "In the event of a battle, only a knight can serve. Sire, I would gladly bleed for the opportunity to fight by your side."

"Oh don't be so dramatic," said Arthur exasperatedly. "But you are correct, Lancelot. You are not yet a knight."

Lancelot wanted to curse his luck and walk away, but instead he stood his ground and stared directly into the Prince's eyes, as if he could force the man to change his mind by the force of his will alone.

"But your enthusiasm is noted," said Arthur at last. "I will bring your test forwards; you will face me at dawn."

Lancelot couldn't help but grin from ear to ear as he bowed, only to be stopped by Arthur.

"Oh and don't bow to me for heaven's sake. I get that enough from those rich aristocrats in the court," said Arthur with an annoyed voice. "You are a warrior Lancelot; never forget that."

* * *

><p>Lancelot gripped the leather handle of his sword more tightly than he needed to. The full plate armour was uncomfortable; he felt like he was trying to move while being weighted down by a giant steel block. What would once be a near effortless cut with a blade now took nearly all his focus to execute properly. He had trained with leather armour for all his years as a sellsword; mercenaries needed to be swift and agile, and be able to retreat if necessary. How men could fight in these restricting metal suits was beyond him; he cursed his foul luck and wished he had more time to train in full plate armour. Arthur's commanding voice quickly forced him to ignore his concerns; there was nothing he could do about his lack of training now.<p>

"Lancelot, fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria, this is your final challenge," said Arthur in an authoritative voice. "Succeed and you join the elite, fail and your quest ends here."

Lancelot nodded to the prince and put on his helmet. Immediately, his world shrunk into a narrow band of light that shone through his helmet's visor; he felt like he was being suffocated inside his own body. The Prince advanced on him and tested his defences with a light blow; a blow that Lancelot barely managed to react and block in time. Unfortunately for Lancelot, the Prince didn't seem to be affected by the heavy armour at all; he moved fluidly in it as if it was a second skin.

The prince swiftly stepped to the side, leaving Lancelot's vision. The dark haired man spun wildly, trying to find his target. It was too late when he heard a footstep to his left; Arthur had flanked the man and now Lancelot found a steel gauntlet coming directly at his head, knocking his helmet off. Lancelot stumbled back and Arthur quickly swept the dazed man off his feet with one powerful blow, sending him flat to the ground.

"Pity," said Arthur with a sigh. "You seemed to have so much potential."

Fury and denial overcame Lancelot's emotions as the Prince went to remove his flag and with it, the only chance he would ever have to become a knight. He kicked with all his might, his steel boot making direct contact with Arthur ankle, sending the blond haired man to his knees. Somehow, Lancelot's grasping hands managed to find his fallen sword, and before Arthur could recover from the expected attack, Lancelot had the blade pressed to the Prince's neck.

"Do you submit, Sire?" said Lancelot in a triumphant tone. With the sound of blood pounding in his ears, he did not notice the guards behind him seize his arms from behind. His earlier sense of triumph quickly turned into despair. 'This was it,' thought Lancelot sadly. 'I cheated to defeat the Prince, and now I'm going to suffer the consequences.' Still he did not admit defeat; he simply stared directly at the prince with a defiant glare; he would not face his end like a coward.

"On your knees," said Arthur, gazing coldly at Lancelot with his steel-blue eyes. The guards quickly forced Lancelot onto his knees.

"You knelt as a man," intoned Arthur in a solemn voice as he placed his sword on Lancelot's shoulders. "Arise now as a Knight of Camelot!"

Lancelot could only gaze at the Prince in shock as the small crowd around him gave a thunderous applause.

* * *

><p>"Arise, Ser Lancelot, Knight of Camelot!" said Uther in a regal voice. It had been mere hours since the Prince had knighted him informally in the training courtyard. Lancelot still could not believe it himself. At long last, he had what he striven for over half his life; no more was he Lancelot, the mercenary who fought for nameless lords who fed and clothed him. Now he was Lancelot, a Knight of Camelot.<p>

"My lord, before I set out, my father commanded me to give you this as a symbol of his friendship," said Lancelot respectfully as he handed Uther a beautifully crafted wooden box. Inside was the gold Merlin had given him right after his test with Arthur. He still couldn't believe how resourceful the manservant was; how could he have come up with such a vast amount of gold?

"Lord Eldred has always been a dear friend to me," said Uther with a rare smile as a servant took the elaborate chest away from Lancelot's hands. "I shall treasure this as a sign of our unbreakable bond; forged long ago on the field of battle. He would be very proud of what you've accomplished today."

"I have always done my best to please my father," said Lancelot respectfully. Somehow he didn't think it would be wise to seem arrogant before the king. "And I have wanted nothing more than to serve among Camelot's elite since I was but a boy."

"I have not seen Lord Eldred for many years," said Uther. "Longer than I'd imagined, it seems. Last time I saw him, it seemed that he only had four sons."

"Is your memory failing you already Your Grace?" interjected Morgana before Lancelot could utter a response. "Last I recall, Lord Eldred sent all five of his sons to seek my hand; they all mentioned how handsome their youngest brother was, but alas he was sick with the fever and could not come."

"Of course," said Uther with a smile on his face; it seemed to please him that Morgana was talking about her suitors. "It must have slipped my mind; I have so many duties to attend to."

"The burden of Kingship is a heavy one, Your Grace," said Morgana in a meek voice. Lancelot gazed at Morgana with new found respect; she had lied to protect him; a mere commoner. In his heart he thought that he could never repay this debt in full; he simply flashed her his most charming smile as he did his best to maintain the role Merlin had created for him.

"I will write to your father at once," said Uther with an almost fatherly smile as he watched Morgana dip her head in response to Lancelot's 'advances'. "No doubt he will be pleased to hear of your success."

"Of course, Your Grace," said Lancelot, bowing deeply in order to hide his nervousness. A letter? This may not be over yet.

"I've kept you too long already," said Uther contentedly. "Enjoy the celebrations."

* * *

><p>Lancelot glanced at the Lady Morgana as she flowed through the hall, moving as effortless through the packed crowd as they parted before her very presence, talking to one guest after another. As she passed him however, she did not stop; her eyes merely seemed to inspect his figure, and for a moment Lancelot felt exposed in some way. She gave him a small smile when he coughed lightly to hide his embarrassment. Her message was clear: 'I helped you, and now you are mine.' Somewhere in the back of his mind, Lancelot didn't think he minded too much, but the knight inside him quenched his cruder thoughts. He swore to himself that he would repay that debt; he just wish he knew how. He noticed a hand tapping him of the shoulders, and immediately snapped himself out of his thoughts; he was supposed to be celebrating after all.<p>

"Tell me, do you think her... beautiful?" asked Arthur.

"There's no man in this world or the next that wouldn't think otherwise," said Lancelot wistfully. "But back where I came from, we always said that the most beautiful women were also the most dangerous."

"Huh, you're more intelligent than you look," said Arthur with surprise. "But tell me, why are you so drawn to her then?"

"Men like us, we're drawn to danger like moths to a bright flame," said Lancelot wistfully. "Sometimes we get burned, but it doesn't stop us from trying again."

"I can see why she likes you so much," said Arthur with a grin. "You seem just like the type to be a challenge for her, but not enough to beat her. I'm beginning to doubt if any man can."

Lancelot only grinned back at Arthur; he was glad that he was finally among men who could think for themselves. At long last, he truly had a home.

* * *

><p>As Merlin watched Lancelot converse with the Arthur, he felt a deep sense of success. He had always wanted to used his magic to improve the lives of others, and at last he had achieved it. Here was a good man who finally got what he had deserved all along. The world was often cruel; but this time fate will finally be good and just to a man who deserves it.<p>

A hand suddenly brushed past his own, knocking his drink over at the same time. Merlin turned around to protest; only to realise that it was Morgana. She was walking towards the exit, and Merlin knew that her action meant that he was supposed to follow her. With a soft sigh, he turned around and followed her out of the grand hall; somehow he didn't think she was there to congratulate him on his success.

* * *

><p>Morgana walked as fast as she could until she had reached the armoury; it was often deserted at this hour and the alcoves offered plenty of hidden places to talk quietly. It was the perfect place for a secret meeting; for in her childhood she often played hiding games in these very halls and none of her elders had ever been able to find her. It seemed ironic to her that she was still playing those games so many years later. As she expected, the warlock soon arrived in the hallway; hot on her heels. She had to give the boy some credit; he had picked up on her intentions far more quickly than she would have expected from an uneducated man. She quickly waved him over to her chosen spot; there was much to do if they wanted to keep Lancelot alive.<p>

"Why are we talking here?" asked Merlin with lamenting tone . "I was celebrating; can't you just let me feel good about myself for once?"

"I assume you weren't close enough to hear what Uther said when Lancelot was knighted, so you don't know the danger he's in," said Morgana curtly, cutting Merlin off before he could voice any more complaints.

"Danger? What sort of danger is he in now?" asked Merlin, his voice suddenly alert and quiet.

"Uther wrote to Lord Eldred concerning Lancelot," said Morgana. "If he ever receives that letter, things could get very complicated."

"What are we going to do?" asked Merlin in an aghast voice; he had obviously not received this information yet.

"I've already dealt with the messenger..." began Morgana.

"Dealt with?" asked Merlin in an uncomfortable voice. "How?"

"I killed him," said Morgana with mock seriousness. As the boy's eyes rounded, she gave an exasperated sigh. Surely he didn't believe her to be so stupid. "Are you mad? Of course I didn't kill him; that would have been far too suspicious. I just bribed him so that he would not deliver the message."

"But Uther will expect a reply," said Merlin, relaxing his posture as he did so. "How are we going to give it to him?"

"Well you forged a seal of nobility," said Morgana unconcernedly. "Surely you can forge a letter as well; I'll dictate it for you."

"Ummm, I can only forge it if I have something to copy it from," explained Merlin. "I'll need to see what Lord Eldred's calligraphy looks like."

"Uther keeps all his letters of correspondence with the lords in his private chambers," said Morgana thoughtfully. "I could retrieve them; the guards won't question my presence if they do catch me. They'll assume I want to talk with the king."

"I'll come with you," said Merlin quickly. "If any guards do show up, I'll try and distract them so you can have time to escape. I don't want you having to explain to Uther why you were in his room."

"I'll manage fine," said Morgana dismissively. She did not want to appear weak to the boy. "Although if you really do want to help, you may do so; I doubt I'll need it anyway."

Merlin gave a slow nod, as if accepting her answer. She had no doubt that he would follow her anyway. As she turned around to leave the armoury, Merlin placed a hand on her shoulders to stop her.

"Thank you Morgana," said Merlin respectfully. "I couldn't have done this without you."

"I have my reasons," said Morgana mysteriously as she pushed his hand away and walked out of the hallway, leaving Merlin to ponder her answer as he hurried after her. The fact was that she didn't quite know what she was doing herself, and somehow that scared her more than anything else.

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><p>It didn't take long for Morgana to reach Uther's personal bedchambers; fortunately his guards were still at the celebrations and so nobody was standing by the gate. As she reached forwards to try and open the door, she cursed silently to herself as she realised that the door was locked. In theory, nobody castle would dare break into the King's chambers. By locking his chambers, it meant that even servants couldn't clean his chambers while he wasn't present; what secrets did Uther hide here?<p>

"Told you that you'd need my help," said Merlin cheekily as he stepped beside her. With a few soft words that Morgana couldn't quite catch, the door gave a small click and swung open. Morgana didn't know whether to be impressed or annoyed by Merlin. Once again, the sorcerer had proven her wrong after all; she was not used to having her words coming back to bite her.

"Stand out here and watch the hallway," commanded Morgana. "I'll come back when I've found what we need."

"Alright, but be careful," whispered Merlin worriedly. "If the King comes, I don't think I could stop him for long at all."

"If he does, I'll find some way to explain myself to him," said Morgana nonchalantly. "I always do."

She didn't wait for him to respond as she quickly entered the king's chambers. It was a beautiful room; on the wall opposing her was a carved wooden map of the realm of Albion. The room itself had multiple stained glass windows; the moonlight that shone through them bathed her in an ethereal glow. The walls themselves were made of murals, chronicling battles that Uther had won in his youth.

Morgana quickly made her way to Uther's closed wooden bookshelf; she knew she had to move fast, for the celebrations couldn't last much longer. She was relieved when she opened the door; Uther had indeed stored all his letters in here. Even better, there were already sorted, waiting for the king to review them if he needed to. However, she frowned when she came to the section that should have held all the letters from Northumbria. As she looked closer at the shelf itself, she noticed a thin rectangle cut into the left side. Growing more curious now, she tapped on the spot and confirmed her suspicions: the space was hollow. It did not take Morgana long to pry out the piece of wood; she reached inside to grasp whatever it was that Uther had took the effort to hide in his own bedchambers, but was rather disappointed when she found that it was only another letter.

When she opened it to read however, things changed; her hands shook slightly as she slowly took in the words formed on the parchment in her hands.

_Your Grace,_

_As you have ordered me to do so, I took command of the reinforcements sent by Lord Wessex to the Gorge of the Trident, where Gorlois's army battled the enemy forces. To my surprise, he actually managed to triumph over the enemy even without the extra men promised to him; it was a good thing we prepared for this eventuality. As per your command, I led my men in to attack him while he was still weak; this time, I made sure that I killed the man myself. He won't be a threat to our grand design anymore._

_Your faithful servant,_

_Ser Eldred of Northumbria._

Words could not express the emotions Morgana was feeling now, for it was beyond mere human expressions as she took in the truth. She could only hear the blood pounding in her head, her thoughts screaming one word alone: Vengeance.

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><p><strong>AN: **I'm sure you all noticed the changes in Lancelot's actions due to different events that took place this time; let's just say I have plans for him. Oh and of course things are now going to become very interesting I think :).

So what do you guys think of this chapter? Please leave a review on what you thought about it if you have the time!

P.S The action scenes are a pain to write properly.


	8. The Perfect Knight III: Retribution

**Chapter 8: The Perfect Knight (Part III: Retribution)**

**Disclaimer: **No I don't own Merlin, else it would be a mix of Game of Thrones themes in a Lord of the Rings type large scale setting with the same BBC characters. Oh and I would probably use up the budget halfway through the season.

**Author's Note: **Thanks for all the awesome reviews last chapter. I really can't express how important they actually are to an author. A few years back, someone told me how good reviews felt but I just scoffed at her; words couldn't possibly be that interesting right? Well it appears that I was wrong after all. I wanted to thank all my regular reviewers again, especially to **High Serpent King** for his/her (sorry I don't know!) really in-depth (and amazingly accurate) review, **Rya3SaberVltar** for reminding me of certain characters that haven't made an appearance for a while because I can't fit them in yet, **Magic713 **for being insightful, and **morganaforever** for being so enthusiastic! To the rest of you, I do like your shorter reviews too! So please continue to give them if you have time.

P.S **Oracleton**, it would be nice if you had an account so I could reply to your reviews. Just saying this in case you do want replies.

Alright, enough intro stuff; I'll let you start the chapter now.

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><p>Merlin paced nervously outside Uther's chambers; Morgana has been in there for far too long, and it wouldn't be long before Uther returned from the celebrations. He slowly summoned his nerve and walked up to the chambers himself; surely there had to be something wrong.<p>

Before he could place a foot beyond the door, Morgana had suddenly turned the corner and stood before him; but this was not the Morgana that had entered. Her bloodshot eyes revealed an unquenchable fire within her. Her blood red cloak flowed around her even though she was standing still, as if being pushed by an invisible force. The very air around her seemed become unbearably hot; it was almost like her rage could transfer itself to the elements themselves. As he took in this sight, Merlin barely noticed that she clutched a small piece of parchment in her left hand. Before he could say anything, Morgana marched directly at Merlin with a single minded purpose, almost running him over before he quickly darted out of the way.

"Morgana wait!" said Merlin urgently. He didn't know what she had found in there, but whatever it was had completely transformed her. "What happened? Maybe I can help!"

She either did not hear him, or simply chose to ignore him. She simply walked along the halls in with a rapid pace towards her own chambers; her every footstep seemed to announce impending doom to whoever her anger was directed at. Merlin quickly sped up to catch up, barely into her chambers in time before she slammed the door behind her.

"Get out Merlin," commanded Morgana in a voice laced with threat. "I won't ask you again."

Without looking at him to see if he obeyed her command, she simply walked towards a carved obsidian cabinet that always seemed to have been closed before during Merlin's previous visits. She opened it now and from it she retrieved an immaculate blade. The grip of the sword was made in the image of a pair of intertwining serpents, covered with black leather. A deep green emerald was imbedded into the pommel; it seemed to shine forth with its own light. The blade itself dazzled Merlin's eyes as it reflected in the moonlight like polished silver would, but he could feel that it was stronger and sharper than any other blade he had seen before. An unknown power seemed to radiate from the cold, unyielding metal. With a start, Merlin realised that this could only be the sword of Morgana's father, Lord Gorlois. The very same man who had used both magic, steel and mind to conquer this kingdom for Uther decades ago.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Morgana had placed the piece of parchment by her desk. He instantly summoned the letter to his hand and opened it to read before she could stop him. The warlock's eyes opened wide as he quickly scanned the words. As Merlin tried to form an appropriate response, he suddenly felt a cold steel touch on his neck. He looked up to see Morgana with pressing the sword to his jugular.

"You should not have read that without my permission," said Morgana in a cold voice. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you before you run off and warn Uther."

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><p>Morgana still couldn't fully grasp the nature of this betrayal; all those years Uther had pretended to protect her had been a lie. She had been played for a fool all this time; no doubt that he kept her close to make Gorlois's household stay loyal to the crown. And now Merlin had found out the truth; she should kill him before he had the chance to use his magic against her, but despite her better judgement, something stayed her hand.<p>

"Wait!" said Merlin with a higher pitched voice than usual. "I know what you must feel right now; I can help you!"

"You know nothing Merlin," said Morgana bitterly. "If you want to help, you will leave and forget you saw anything."

"I'll help you get justice for your father, I promise," said Merlin in a desperate voice. Why didn't he leave? This did not concern him. As she considered her options through the red haze that seemed to obscure her thoughts, Morgana came upon an idea; maybe the sorcerer can help after all. She slowly lowered her father's blade and she could hear the boy resume his breathing.

"Perhaps you can help me," said Morgana icily. "I'm calling on the favour that you owe me."

"I'm listening," said Merlin with obvious relief. "But please, this isn't the time to be rash!"

"When Uther lies dead at my hand, I will gather the lords and ladies in the throne room," said Morgana, ignoring Merlin's words entirely. "Once they are there, I will announce his death; you will seal the door with magic and kill the guards who will no doubt try to seize me. Then I will take what Uther cherishes the most: his throne."

"What do you intend to do after that?" asked Merlin in a shaky voice. "And what about Arthur?"

"Arthur will bend the knee, or he will follow his father to his grave," said Morgana curtly. "Will you keep your word and do as I command?"

"Please Morgana, this isn't you!" said Merlin desperately. "Don't do something you'll regret later!"

"Are you willing to help or not?" demanded Morgana. "Speak quickly!"

"No," said Merlin with barely more than a whisper. "I can't let you do this; I'm sorry."

"And why not?" said Morgana dangerously. "I could make you the most powerful man in the realm; you won't have to hide who you are anymore."

"Because I know Arthur; he wouldn't forgive you if you killed Uther in cold blood," said Merlin, his voice gaining confidence as he spoke. "He'd die before he would let you kill his father and take his throne, and I can't let that happen."

The red haze returned and seemed to consume everything in her sight. The boy had lied to her after all; while he promised that he would help her get justice on Uther, it seemed that he wasn't willing to do make the hard choices. Like a dam that had finally broken, Morgana directed all her hate towards this one unfortunate boy. Time itself seemed to slow, and an invisible force from within her exploded, sending all objects around her flying high into the air and shattering the stained glass window; Merlin was caught in the shockwave and he slammed into the far side of the room,. It only took her a few moments to realise what has happened, and Morgana gave out a bitter laugh.

"It seems that the gods truly do want Uther's reign to end today," said Morgana softly to Merlin's unmoving form. "Sleep well, Merlin."

As she turned to leave however; she saw a man standing in her doorway, watching her with his solemn brown eyes. Morgana tried to use her new found ability to push him aside, but it would not come; she felt tired, drained of all energy after the power she had unleashed moments ago.

"My lady," said Lancelot as he gave a respectful nod towards Morgana, even as she stood in the ruins of what had once been her bedchamber. "I heard enough to know what happened here."

"Then you should understand why the king must die," said Morgana fiercely. "Surely you would try to avenge your own father if you were in my place."

Lancelot stood quietly where he was as he considered her statement. Acting on pure instinct, she swung her blade at the knight, but he seemed to be ready for this. He drew his blade with a blinding flash and countered her blow; his sword now rested at her chest while her own was pointing uselessly towards the ceiling. She gazed defiantly at him, as if she could get him to move aside with sheer will alone. What he did in return was something she would not have guessed in a thousand years; he leaned forward and kissed her.

A part of her wanted to push him away, but she seemed to have lost the will to respond as he enveloped her upper lip with an overwhelming presence. A slow warmth spread through her as her own body reacted involuntarily to his advances; an inexplicable pleasure coursed through her nerve endings, slowly leeching her rage away until it seemed that only a dull ache remained. It seemed impossible that he could relieve all her troubles with this one simple act, but for a moment, Morgana felt that she was at peace for the first time in years. But like all moments of peace, this did not last long; as the knight reached out to embrace her fully, his sword fell to the ground. The loud ring of steel against stone bought her crashing back down to reality.

"What have you done to me?" asked Morgana in a low voice as she tore herself from him, denying the part of her that was begging for his touch.

"I was in your position once," said Lancelot softly, ignoring her question. "My own father was also killed by a man he knew well; his murderer was his brother, someone who had betrayed his own kin for a few coins."

"You must have avenged him, else you would not be here," said Morgana as she regained her composure. "If you understand my pain, then you will stand aside and let me do the same for my own father."

"We shouldn't have to become monsters ourselves," said Lancelot, gazing into her eyes as if he could see her very soul. "If you stab Uther in his back and steal his throne, you'll be no better than he was."

"So you let your father's murderer live?" said Morgana incredulously. "Somehow I doubt that."

"No," said Lancelot with a sad smile. "But before I killed him, I captured and bought him before the King of Essetir. The king sentenced him to death, and I was given the task of being his executioner. The entire kingdom knew of his shame before I cut his head off myself."

"What's your point," said Morgana quietly, understanding him but not willing to accept his words.

"If you kill Uther now, the people will view you as a traitor," said Lancelot. "You must reveal his crime to the world before you can avenge your father. Even Arthur would side with you over him if he knew the truth, and what greater victory is there?"

Morgana wanted to cut into him with her sword; to throw him into the wall with her mind as she had done with Merlin, for his words bit deep into her far deeper than any blade could. Her instincts screamed for Uther's blood, but her mind knew that he was right. If she killed Uther now, the kingdom would be thrown into chaos. Everything her father fought so hard for would disappear in the war of succession that would no doubt follow, and she may not be able to hold onto the throne. Besides, Lancelot was right; it would only make her victory more complete if she could turn Arthur against Uther. Slowly, the last of her instinctive rage faded away into the recesses of her mind, replaced by a cold, hard determination to see Uther brought to justice.

"Very well; Uther Pendragon will live for now," said Morgana in barely more than a whisper, but her voice gained power as she spoke. "But the day will come when he sees everything that he cherished fall into ruin, when his own son turns against him and I sit upon his throne. The people will be bay for his blood as I pierce his black heart with my father's own blade, and all will know that justice has been served."

Lancelot seemed to be troubled by her words, but he did not object. Instead he turned to Merlin, and checked the boy for a pulse.

"Is he alright?" asked Morgana, now feeling guilty at what she had done to the boy. She did not mean to hurt him; she just wanted him out of the way.

"His heartbeat is steady," said Lancelot. Morgana breathed with relief at this news, but she did not show it to the knight. "And the blood flowing from his head seems to be just a scratch. But what did you do to him?"

"I thought you were watching," stated Morgana with a smile; she was slowly settling back into her normal self.

"I saw everything in your chambers destroy itself," said Lancelot unabashedly at his own lack of knowledge. "That doesn't tell me much."

"I don't suppose you see many people with the power of magic these days," said Morgana sadly. "Uther hunts them down like animals; it's ironic that he has two people with this power right underneath his nose."

"So you knew you had this power all along?" asked Lancelot. "And what do you mean by two?"

"Merlin is also a sorcerer," said Morgana with a sigh; she didn't see a need to keep secrets from the knight anymore. "As for myself, I've had dreams that have come to pass; I've always suspected that they were tied to magic in some way. I feared it because I knew Uther would kill me if he found out the truth, and now that's just another reason I want him dead."

"It would be a very useful skill in combat," remarked Lancelot as he glanced around at her destroyed bedchambers. "But how will we explain this to the King?"

"We'll say the creature attacked," said Morgana dismissively. "Uther will believe what I have to say, and if you support my account, no one will question us."

"Well milady, I must take him back to the physician so he can recover," said Lancelot as he gently lifted Merlin's prone body with both hands. He ignored what she said before, as if he was uncomfortable the concept of lying. "May I take my leave of you?"

"You may," said Morgana, even though she knew that it was a rhetorical question. It felt good to be back in control of her emotions and the people around her. "Oh and Ser Lancelot?"

"Yes Milady?" asked Lancelot, turning back to face her as he did so.

"Do not attempt to kiss me again," said Morgana in the most regal voice she could summon. She didn't know why she mentioned it at all, but some part of her didn't seem to want her to forget the experience.

"Attempt?" said Lancelot with a raised eyebrow. "And is that a direct order my lady?"

"No," whispered Morgana instinctively to herself. However, Lancelot did not seem to hear her, so she gave him a firm nod. She would not allow her weakness to show; not to him or anyone else in this castle.

"As you wish milady," said Lancelot in a nonchalant voice that frustrated her to no end; she felt used, someone who had been played with but nonetheless powerless to stop it. He turned around and left her chambers, leaving her to deal with the aftermath of her magical blast and her confounded emotions.

"Guards!" said Morgana as she ran down the corridor, trying to sound fearful as she did so. "The creature is in my chambers!"

As the incompetent men rushed past her, she allowed herself to feel a small amount of satisfaction. At least she could solve one of her problems this night.

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><p>Lancelot hurried down the unfamiliar corridors towards what he hoped were the physicians chambers; what had he been thinking when he had kissed her? She could have killed him in that one moment. 'But she did not,' thought Lancelot to himself. And those lips of hers were so luscious, and as red as the blood she intended to spill. His heart seemed to command him to protect the lady, especially from herself, no matter the cost.<p>

The knight sighed to himself; if he had any sense, he would have fallen for someone who was harmless like Guinevere. Still, his mind had never been able to overrule his heart, and he doubted that would change anytime soon. He quickly snapped himself out of his thoughts as he reached the Physician's chambers.

"Master Gaius," shouted Lancelot. "Merlin is hurt; I believe he needs treatment."

It didn't take long for the old physician to open the door and usher him in. He was obviously aghast at Merlin's condition, but he did not utter a sound till he had laid the boy on a table.

"What happened to him?" asked Gaius, carefully checking Merlin as he did so.

"He was attacked by the creature," said Lancelot uncomfortably. He did not want to lie, for he was now a knight, sworn to uphold the truth no matter the cost. But telling the truth would mean betraying Morgana, and he would never do that. He almost laughed at himself; in just a few moments with her she had made his morals a tangle of contradictions.

"Well I'll look after him from here," said Gaius. The old man hesitated before continuing his words. "Merlin was right; you deserve this chance."

Lancelot couldn't thinking of anything appropriate to say; he simply bowed at the physician. While he did not want to lie to the man, the knight needed to keep Gaius's trust. Ever since his family died, no one had given him anything of their own free will. It was a strange sensation, knowing that somewhere out there someone cared about you. As he thought about his new friends, his mind quickly returned to Morgana; something told him that his troubles has only just begun.

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><p>Morgana was being smothered by Uther's embrace; the King had demanded that he personally came to see her once the guards ensured that the 'creature' was no longer in the castle. The blind rage threatened to return; she wanted nothing more than to see the traitorous king's shocked look as she unleashed her power against him. She focused on Lancelot's face and his words of caution returned to quell her primal anger; she knew that she could not succeed, and even if she did kill him now, it would deny her the total victory she sought over him.<p>

"I was so afraid," said Morgana with false tears in her eyes. "The beast was terrifying, and I'm sure that I would be dead if not for the valiant efforts of both Arthur's manservant and Ser Lancelot."

"Camelot is lucky to have him," said Uther with a warm smile. "His father and I have always been very close friends."

'Yes, I wonder how long you plotted with Lord Eldred to murder my father,' thought Morgana bitterly. Outwardly though, she faked a smile and nodded weakly at the king; now was not the time to be strong.

"Ser Lancelot is a capable warrior," said Arthur with a hint of respect in his voice. "What I do not understand is how it got into the castle in the first place."

"In case you've forgotten, my Prince, the creature can fly," said Morgana with a superior tone. "No doubt it flew past your drunken guards without them noticing."

"My men are well disciplined, Morgana," said Arthur with a snap. "They would never have partaken in the festivities tonight."

"Then how do you explain the attack on the castle?" said Uther angrily. "I don't want to hear any more of your excuses Arthur; find this creature, and do not return until you have driven it away or destroyed it."

As the Prince turned to leave the room without bowing to the king, Morgana couldn't help but smile to herself. Already she had formed a growing gulf between the king and his heir. Lancelot was right; revenge like this would be far sweeter.

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><p>Merlin woke with a very parched mouth, his head pounding as if he had drunk a lot of ale the previous night. It took him a while to reorient himself and find out where he was, and he felt relieved when he realised that it was his own room; at least that meant he wasn't dead, even if he felt like he was. Merlin, gave a loud groan, alerting Lancelot, who had been sitting beside him all this time, to the fact that Merlin was now awake.<p>

"What happened?" asked Merlin in a groggy voice. He had gaps in his memory from the night before; most images were very hazy.

"You don't remember?" asked Lancelot with alarm. "If I were you, I would certainly recall an event as unusual as being hurled into a wall by a very beautiful woman."

"Oh, right," said Merlin lamely as the memories came rushing back. He had tried to stop her, but then he had felt her magic breaking loose, releasing all her power in one single event in a indiscriminate manner. Suddenly his mind seemed to clear; he had tried to stop her from killing Uther in his own castle, but he had failed.

"Where is she now?" asked Merlin urgently. "She's going to do something stupid if no one stops her; the entire kingdom could be thrown into chaos!"

"I... convinced her that it wasn't the best choice to go ahead with her initial plan," said Lancelot hesitantly.

"You changed her mind?" asked Merlin, looking at Lancelot with newfound admiration; he did not know that such a feat was possible. "I didn't even notice that you were there!"

"I was walking back to my chambers when I heard you chasing her across the castle, so I thought it would be a good idea to follow you," said Lancelot simply. "As for changing her mind, I just calmed her down; her overall goal remains the same."

"To be honest, I don't blame her," said Merlin quietly. "If Uther killed my mother, I'd want him dead too; I suppose you know what he did?"

"I caught enough of your conversation to figure it out," said Lancelot grimly. "The king is a vile man, but without him the kingdom would fall apart."

"So it's agreed?" asked Merlin. "We'll help Morgana get her revenge, but only once Arthur is capable of claiming the throne for himself and maintaining the King's Peace?"

"I don't think that's quite what she has in mind," said Lancelot in an almost inaudible tone.

Before Merlin could ask him any more questions, Gaius walked into his room with a worried look on his face.

"Merlin, you're awake! I'd ask you what happened, but I suspect you wouldn't tell me the truth anyway." said Gaius with obvious relief. "But that's not why I'm here; you have a visitor, and she wants to speak with you."

"I'll go speak with her," said Lancelot, rising up as he did so. "Merlin's not quite ready to go anywhere on his own yet."

Before Gaius could object, he walked out of Merlin's chambers, leaving behind a confused Gaius and a worried warlock.

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><p>Lancelot mentally prepared himself for whatever may come, only to find that it was Guinevere who was sitting at the table in front of him. How could he be so stupid? No doubt the matters Lady Morgana wanted to discuss were far too sensitive to talk about in such an open area. He smiled at the girl as he sat down opposite to her.<p>

"Hello Guinevere; you wanted to see Merlin?" asked Lancelot amiably. "He's not quite fully recovered from his drinking last night." He also stopped himself in shock; when one started lying, they seemed to become easier with every passing moment.

"Lancelot! I didn't expect to see you here," said Gwen nervously. "But the Lady Morgana told me to deliver this message to Merlin alone."

"I'm sure she won't mind if you give it to me," said Lancelot with a smile. "I don't think she would have expected me here either."

"Well, on your honour as a knight, do you promise to keep this a secret?" asked Gwen in a conspiratorial voice.

"That's a very strong oath," said Lancelot warmly. "But of course I will; I would have never become a knight in the first place without the three of you aiding me."

"Alright," whispered Gwen. "Morgana wants to ask Merlin to meet her in the library at midnight; I think she likes him!"

Lancelot bit back a laugh as he looked into the maid's sincere gaze. Oh if only things were so simple; he envied her innocence.

"I will protect this secret with my life," said Lancelot solemnly, watching Gwen stifle a smile as he did so. "In fact, I'll tell him right now; no doubt he'd very pleased with the news."

"He's a very lucky man," said Gwen in a genuine voice. "But tell him to be careful; who knows what the king would do if he found out his ward was meeting with a servant in the dead of night?"

"I'll warn him about the obvious dangers, don't worry about it," said Lancelot reassuringly. "Besides, there's more to him than what meets the eye."

Gwen flashed him a smile again before bowing low and retreating from the room, leaving Lancelot to deliver the news to Merlin alone.

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><p>Morgana waited patiently at the predetermined meeting spot in the back corner of the library, the soft moonlight casting eerie shadows around her. She wanted to learn more about her own powers, and more importantly, how to command it. Although she did not even want to admit it to herself, Morgana had to face the fact that she felt a deep sense of fear. She knew that she had no control over her magic, and if she ever lost her control in public, it would be disastrous. Uther would no doubt execute her instantly; the man had a hatred of magic that bordered on insanity. This was why she had to meet Merlin in the dead of night; he was the only one who could advise her on such matters. A part of her wanted something else: to ask for forgiveness from the boy; she had almost killed him after all. However, Morgana quickly crushed that thought; it would make her look weak if she apologized, and she would have to remain strong if she wanted to command the boy to teach her.<p>

Unfortunately, it seemed that Merlin was characteristically late; Arthur had often complained about his servant's lack of punctuality, and it seemed that his rants had some truth to them after all. Suddenly, saw a flickering light headed towards her way and Morgana had to quickly duck behind the shelves. She had timed the meeting when all the patrols were supposed to be on the other side of the castle, but had she made a mistake? As Merlin's thin silhouette appeared however, her apprehension turned into exasperation; he was carrying a torch, did the boy want to be discovered?

"Put that fire out Merlin," said Morgana curtly as she stepped out from the shadows. "You'll alert the entire castle to your presence, and do you really want to explain to Uther why you were meeting me in the middle of the night?"

"Oh that's a nice way to say hello," said Merlin sarcastically as the torch seemed to extinguish itself. "I was hoping for something like 'I'm sorry I nearly killed you'."

"Don't try to overdramatize what happened," said Morgana dismissively. "Though I am thankful that helped me find out about my powers."

"So is that all I am to you?" asked Merlin, who seemed to be angry and hurt by her words. "You called me here to teach you magic, didn't you? If you think that I'm just a tool to be used, then discarded like some unwanted piece of trash, you were completely wrong."

As the boy turned to leave, Morgana knew that she had said the wrong thing. She felt a sudden pang of guilt; did others really think she was that cold? All she wanted was Camelot to become a kingdom that was just; something her father could have been proud of. Surely Merlin could see that everything she did was for a greater purpose.

"Merlin, wait," said Morgana with a hint of desperation in her voice. "I need your help; I... feel lost, not even sure of what I'm supposed to be doing. Maybe one day my powers will manifest themselves in public; if I can't control them, where would I be then?"

She was startled by her own words; since when did she decide that spilling her inner fears to Merlin was a good idea? The boy probably couldn't even figure out his own purpose, let alone hers. However, her words did make Merlin stop; at least they achieved the desired result, even if she had told him too much.

"I'm sorry Morgana, and I do understand what you're going through," said Merlin quietly. "I overrated; recent events have pushed us all to the edge, to say the least."

Morgana only nodded in silence at the sorcerer, trying to regain her composure as she did so. She tried not to let her relief show; she didn't want Merlin to see how much she was depending on him.

"So you will help me?" asked Morgana as she sought confirmation from the sorcerer.

"If I let a young lady flounder without guidance from me, what kind of man would I be?" said Merlin with a smug grin.

"Spare me your masculine superiority, I get enough of that from Arthur," retorted Morgana. "Besides, you reacted rather like a young girl just moments before, stomping off because I hurt your feelings."

"Well do you want my help or not?" asked Merlin, his exasperating grin never leaving his face. Morgana had to bite back her words; she needed to change the subject before the boy thought that he didn't need her at all.

"Before we get started, I think you'll need this," said Morgana as she pulled out the letter that incriminated Uther. "We still need to make sure our favourite knight stays alive."

"I'm glad you haven't forgotten about him," said Merlin with relief. "By the way, he didn't tell me what he said to change your mind."

"That's between me and him," said Morgana curtly; she didn't want to tell anyone about the kiss they had shared; it would just overcomplicate matters. "And he didn't change my mind, he just made me see reason."

"That's even more impressive," said Merlin with a faked sigh.

"To you perhaps," retorted Morgana angrily; who was he to judge if she was reasonable or not? "You aren't exactly rational yourself."

"Well if I'm so unreasonable, why have me teach you magic?" asked Merlin pointedly. For the first time in many years, Morgana could not think of a way to respond. Merlin held all the cards now, and like it or not, she would have to do what he said.

* * *

><p>Merlin turned sleepily in his bed as the sun rose and shone directly into his closed eyelids. He had spent the entire night explaining the fundamentals of magic to Morgana. She hadn't managed grasped the concept that you had to have a certain degree of inner peace to control her power. Merlin knew that she was stubborn, but at least she did accept his advice, however grudging she may be. All in all, it was easier than serving Arthur; now he just had to stop her from doing anything too rash with her new found abilities.<p>

Suddenly the loud clang of warning bells signified that something was wrong, he rose out of his bed instantly, trying to shake off his tiredness as he did so. To his horror, he saw the exact same beast he had barely escaped from days ago in the middle of the marketplace, disembowelling guards and peasant alike, turning them into so many pieces of butchered meat. The warlock quickly rushed out of the room; no doubt the knights would try to fight it off, but without his help, he knew they would all be doomed.

Lancelot, along with hundreds of other knights, responded instantly the moment the warning bell tolled. They had been preparing for days on end, and yet the creature had still managed to slip past all their defences and attack the heart of the city. The knight knew that walls and battlements didn't help much against creatures who could fly, but they should have been more vigilant. The innocent men and women lying in the pools of their own blood were testament to the fact that the knights had failed in their duty.

As Arthur rallied the men to defend the city, Lancelot suddenly felt anger at Uther's actions. A good leader should be the one leading his men into battle; instead Uther had not deigned to join them, and had sent Arthur in his place. It seemed to him that Morgana was right; Uther was a terrible ruler, and Camelot deserved a better sovereign.

His thoughts were cut short as the group of men rounded the corner, only to see the creature in front of them, tearing stone buildings apart like so many pieces of kindling as it tried to get to the people trapped within. He gripped his shield tighter; he knew that no enemy was invincible, but that didn't stop the primal instinct inside him from screaming at him to run. He pushed aside that thought the instant it came to him; he may be afraid, but he always had the courage to overcome his fear.

"Steady!" said Arthur in a commanding voice. If the prince felt any fear, his voice did not show it. "Archers, light your arrows and fire at will! Bring that beast down!"

A flurry of flaming arrows came from the back ranks; while most believed that it was more honourable to fight with a sword in hand, Lancelot knew that survival was often more important than some misguided sense of fair combat. However, as the stream of projectiles impacted on the beast, they merely glanced off the creature and did no visible damage at all. Lancelot was stunned; what manner of beast had skin strong enough to completely deflect iron tipped arrows like that?

The beast launched itself at the group of knights, and Lancelot barely had time to lock shields with the men next to him as the beast collided into them. It was not enough, and Lancelot saw the men stumble where the beast had attacked. The formation was slowly breaking apart, and when it did, they would all be at the mercy of the bird-like creature before them.

In an attempt to distract the beast so that the rest of the knights could regroup, Lancelot leapt out from the formation and swung his blade directly at the creature's neck. Unfortunately for him, the bird-like monster simply twisted its head and caught his blade in its beak; it then bit down snapped the tempered steel like a piece of rotten wood. While Lancelot was momentarily stunned by this feat, the creature countered with a savage swipe of its claws, and Lancelot barely had time to bring up his shield as the blow slammed into him, throwing the knight onto the cold stone pavement.

Before he could react, Arthur seemed to materialize in front of the him, wielding a spear that was longer than three men combined. Somehow, the prince found the strength to aim the spear and he thrust the steel tip directly into the creature's eyes with accuracy that should have been impossible. His risk paid off, for the creature screamed with rage. It snapped the wooden spear into two with one single swipe before taking flight, no doubt retreating from the battlefield to nurse its wound. As the men gathered around to cheer for their prince, Lancelot did not feel so jubilant. He had seen enough combat to know that the blow should have been fatal to any man or beast, but this monster was still alive. What manner of creature could defy death itself?

* * *

><p>Morgana watched Merlin with an intense gaze as Arthur stumbled into the throne room, weary from his battle just minutes before. She saw the boy rush out into the courtyard, hiding behind a stone gargoyle while watching Arthur battle the creature. She knew that he had saved Arthur with his magic, using his powers to give Arthur the strength to lift the ancient relic and strike at the creature in its only weak spot. Once again, the unassuming man had saved Camelot's heir from an alien threat; the son of the same man who would execute him for what he had done. Merlin was selfless, far more than she knew she could ever be; Morgana didn't know whether to admire or pity the manservant.<p>

Her thoughts turned to Lancelot, walking behind the prince and clutching his chest as he did so. As selfless as Merlin was, Lancelot was more so. He did not have the knowledge of magic to assure his own safety, and yet he had come to foreign lands to defend those who could not help themselves. With only his steel in his hand he had fought a terror that he knew he had no chance of defeating, but he had done it anyway. Either of these two men would make a far better King that Uther Pendragon ever could; but fate seemed to favour those who were the most cunning and deceitful, not the ones who were honourable and just.

Morgana quickly snapped herself out of her thoughts as Uther began to speak. Anything the king said could be used for her own purposes, and she did not want to lose any opportunities.

"You said your knights were the best in the land. You proved that today," said Uther proudly, apparently unconcerned for those who had fallen before the beast had been driven off.

"We let too many innocents die," said Arthur in a bitter voice. "And the beast is still at large."

"We will not wait for it; the kingdom has been menaced by this creature for too long," said Uther in an authoritative voice, as if he had been the one who had driven the creature off. "If we can finish this beast off now, all of Albion will know that our men are the finest in the land; we would be able to make up for Ser Leon's failure."

"Your Grace, if I may," said Gaius in a nervous voice. Morgana cocked her head slightly at his voice; the old man was not one to speak often in the court, but when he did, it was often important information.

"What is it Gaius?" asked Uther in a annoyed voice. He obviously did not expect the physician to interrupt him when he was discussing military matters.

"I've been researching this creature, Your Grace," explained Gaius. "I believe it to be a gryphon, a creature shrouded in legends from ages that are nearly forgotten."

"What of it?" asked Uther disdainfully. "Legends often over exaggerate; you of all people should know this."

"Your Grace, we should be cautious; for I believe that the gryphon is a creature of magic," said Gaius in a quiet voice. "It said that a Gryphon is born of magic and it can only be killed by magic."

"You are mistaken," said Uther angrily. "It's a creature of flesh and blood like any other; Arthur proved that today. I will hear no more talk on this matter."

"I'm not so sure, Father," said Arthur in a concerned voice. "I think there may be some truth in what he says."

"What truth," said Uther exasperatedly, as if he could not believe his own son was siding with the physician against him.

"The gryphon was unnatural," stated Arthur. "Our weapons seemed useless against it; I managed to deal what should have been a mortal blow, but yet the creature still lives."

"Useless? I think not," said Uther in a confidant voice. "No, you must have just missed the mark Arthur. it's tasted our steel once, the next time will be its last. Once your knights are fully rested, you will ride out and kill this creature. Do this and you will restore the people's faith in our knights, and in you."

As Arthur bowed and began to leave, an idea began to form in Morgana's mind. If the king was so blind to the truth, then she could use it to her advantage. She only needed to convince him to go after the beast himself. He would either have to ride back to Camelot in shame, or not ride back at all. However if the creature did kill him, it would deny her from avenging her father with her own hands. Morgana supposed she would have to accept it; at least she would know that she had been the one who had sent her father's murderer to his death.

"Arthur wait," said Morgana quickly. For some unknown reason, she had no desire to see him die, even if he was Uther's son. It was yet another reason to see her plan through.

"What is it Morgana?" asked Arthur with a challenging smile plastered onto his face. "If you want to gloat about how I failed to kill the creature today, let us see if you can even lift the spear I used today."

"No, I was merely shocked at the way how you would steal your own father's glory," said Morgana in an innocent voice.

"What do you mean?" asked Uther with a gleam in his eye. Morgana knew she had him now; Uther was not a man to let the chance of improving his own stature slip by.

"Think of how the people would love you if you led the expedition to slay the beast," said Morgana smoothly. "Take a full regiment of knights; it would not be able to harm you then and your victory will be all but assured."

"You words hold great wisdom Morgana," said Uther with a smile. "But I can't allow Arthur to just sit around and do nothing while I do his duty."

"Then let him do your duty, Your Grace," said Morgana. "Make him regent in your absence; it would do him some good to learn how to rule while you are absent."

"Sometimes, I look at you and I see Gorlois talking through your mouth," said Uther warmly. "Very well, tomorrow I shall take the army and hunt the beast down personally. Arthur, I trust you will not lose the city while I'm away."

It took all of Morgana's control to not summon the power she had contained and unleash it at him; how dare he talk of her father in such a tone when he had murdered him? Outwardly she merely gave him a small smile, as if she was still the innocent girl she had been in days long past. As soon as Uther left however, Arthur immediately turned on her.

"How could you do that?" said Arthur angrily. "I fought that beast and I know that Gaius's words had some truth to them. You may have sent him to his death!"

"I'm sure he'll be fine," said Morgana, unable to restrain a satisfied smile as she looked Arthur in the eyes. "Soon you will be the Regent of Camelot; worry yourself with matters of the state, and trust that your father will succeed."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I actually thought about including Merlin's and Lancelot's reactions after this paragraph, but I suspect it would make it less exciting, so I decided to drop you all off here *insert evil laugh here*. If you can spare a moment or two of your time, I would love it if you reviewed; I'm especially interested to see what you thought of the character interaction I did in this chapter. I hope I didn't mess it up!

P.S I will be going on holiday on the 5th of April till the 16th, so I might not update during that time. Just saying this so nobody hates me.


	9. The Perfect Knight IV: Decieved

**Chapter 9: The Perfect Knight IV: Decieved**

**Author's Note: **I'm back again after my Easter break! Sorry if this chapter seems a bit fragmented, I've done my best to make sure everything flows well, but I suspect that there are still some flaws in it due to me not working on the story for a while. As usual, all reviews, especially constructive criticism, are very welcome; I always like to know what you think of my story.

A lot of you seem to be concerned about the Lancelot/Morgana scene and what it really means. Rest assured that I do listen to reader input, but what you guessed was probably not where I was taking the story in the first place. The vision in Chapter one offers a glimpse of what I have planned for chapters far in the future.

Also going a bit more in depth into the magical system in Merlin's world; it's mostly for world building and to prevent Deus Ex Machina type spells. Please give me ideas on how to improve my writing on that regard if you think you could do better than me! (I do not know how to write action scenes well).

* * *

><p>Prince Arthur Pendragon cursed Morgana yet again as he considered the day's events. It had been bad enough that the beast had slipped past his sentries and killed those he was charged to protect. He thought it could not get any worse, but then she had to convince his father to actually go and hunt down the beast himself! Was she foolish enough to not realise that she was sending him to his death?<p>

The prince poured out a cup of Camelot's finest wine and took a sip; somehow he knew that he would need it if he was to get through this with his sanity intact. With his thirst sated, he turned his mind back to the problem at hand.

The words of the physician haunted him: _'A Gryphon is born of magic and it can only be killed by magic'. _Arthur had always believed there was nothing he could not best with his wits and sword but today, when he faced that monstrosity in the courtyard, he knew that the physicians words were true. The prince scowled as he saw his manservant enter his room, breaking his chain of thought. While he normally enjoyed bantering with the idiotic servant, he had far more pressing matters at hand.

"What's on your mind, Arthur?" asked Merlin in his usual irritable voice. He was so much like Morgana in many ways, always poking his nose into business that did not belong to him.

"I'm thinking Merlin," said Arthur with a scowl on his face. "Maybe you should try it once in a while, it'll do you some good; perhaps then you'd remember to address me by my proper title."

"Is that 'Prat'?" asked Merlin with an innocent voice as went around with his cleaning duties.

"I don't have time for your games today Merlin," said Arthur exasperatedly. "Unlike yourself, I am charged with important duties. In fact, I'm buried in them now that I am to be the regent."

"It looks like you have more than that on your mind; perhaps you worry about your father?" asked Merlin. The manservant seemed to be fond of pointing out the obvious; perhaps he thought that he was being intelligent.

"Of course I worry about him," said Arthur angrily. "You heard what Gaius said, and he's usually right. I can't believe Morgana convinced my Father to ride out against the beast personally; she always tries to make me look like a fool in front of my father, but this time she puts her king in mortal peril!"

"What would you do if Uther did fall in battle?" asked Merlin quietly, voicing out Arthur's own fears.

"He will not; I could force that creature back, and so can he," said Arthur a little too quickly.

"But if he did?" pressed Merlin.

"I will do my best to keep the kingdom together," said Arthur in a voice that was barely more than a whisper. "Whether I succeed is another matter; my father conquered this kingdom, not me. The lords will not respect me in the way that they respect my father."

Arthur suddenly realised that his manservant had gotten him to say his fears out loud. If a mere servant could make him talk like a parrot, what would the lords do to him? He was not ready to be regent, and definitely not ready to be the king!

"I have faith in you," said Merlin unexpectedly. It almost made Arthur choke on the wine that he was drinking.

"The fact that I have your loyalty just makes things so much better doesn't it," said Arthur sarcastically. "I appreciate your sentiment, but don't think for a moment it makes me feel any better."

"Well I always thought that Kings only pretends to be sure of themselves," said Merlin in a pondering voice. "If you look like you know what you're doing and make the lords do what you think is best, I'm sure you'll do fine."

"I can make people do what I think is best..." said Arthur thoughtfully. "Somehow Merlin, you've actually said something that's intelligent for once."

"I have?" asked Merlin with a confused look on his face.

"Stay here, I'm going to see my Father," said Arthur as he hurried out of his chambers.

"What are you going to do?" asked Merlin hurriedly, as if he was afraid he had said something bad. "You won't be able to change his mind!"

"I'll convince my father take the army along with him on his expedition," said Arthur as he marched down the hallway. "We need to secure our villages anyway before bandits decide to raid our people while the kingdom is distracted."

"Arthur, wait!" exclaimed Merlin frantically. "What about the gryphon? You know, the whole point of this expedition."

"Maybe our army will even kill the beast in the process; at the very least, I'm sure than ten thousand men will have no problem driving the beast off," said Arthur dismissively. "The important thing is that my father will stay alive."

Arthur smiled to himself as he walked out of his chambers, feeling better than he had in many days. If he couldn't prevent his father from going on a suicidal mission, then at least he could give him the men to protect him adequately. Somehow it always fell on his shoulders to fix Morgana's mistakes; despite the fact how she lorded her 'intellectual superiority' over him. She might win the arguments, but he was the one who kept the king, and therefore the city, safe.

* * *

><p>The ring of steel upon steel rang from the countryside around Camelot; all of Camelot's knights had been ordered to prepare themselves for what lay ahead. Two two full legions of knights were to accompany him and secure the eastern villages at the edge of his kingdom. As the beast had flown east, Uther had said that he planned to slay the beast if they managed to find it. The entire city looked like a beehive that had been stirred into a frenzy; food had to be prepared for the expedition, and sending ten thousand men into the field on such short notice would take its toll on them all. Various other craftsmen worked furiously to create tents for the men and wagons for the supplies; Camelot had not been mobilised in such a manner since Uther first conquered it over two decades ago.<p>

Morgana gazed out of her stained glass window, eyes filled with anger as she watched Uther inspect the knights personally. It had been a day since she suggested that Uther ride himself to slay the gryphon; she had been so confident that she would soon be rid of the man who had betrayed her father. Unfortunately, fate has worked against her; somehow Arthur managed to convince his father to take every last one of his knights with him on this so called quest. When they were children, Arthur had always managed to turn her well thought out plans into a tangled mess; unfortunately he retained that ability as he had grown into a man. But instead of making a fool of himself, his foolishness now jeopardized the safety of the entire kingdom.

It was obvious to Morgana that Arthur had not even bothered to think about the consequences of his actions. By taking the entire army, the king would leave the city empty of men. There would only be the untrained militia left, along with boys too green to ride and cripples too old to fight. She involuntarily shuddered as she imagined the sight of Camelot's army, trying to slay a beast that could not be killed by mortal weapons. Many will surely die, and the reputation of the throne will be severely weakened as a result. Even worse, the city would be completely defenceless while the army was away. Was Arthur really foolish enough to risk the entire kingdom just to keep Uther alive? She sighed to herself; it was more likely that he did not think at all.

"Milady," said Gwen timidly. "Is something bothering you?"

"We should all be worried," replied Morgana in a grim voice. It surprised her that nobody else seemed to grasp the danger that was at hand.

"If you're concerned about something, perhaps you could tell me about it; I may even be able to help," said Gwen in her usual cheerful voice. Morgana wished she could tell somehow about her true feelings, but she couldn't even trust the ones closest to her. It was ironic that Arthur's servant boy and the false knight were the only people who knew the truth.

"You wouldn't understand," said Morgana regrettably. As she said her words however, she had a sudden flash of inspiration. "But perhaps you could help me."

"I'll do anything I can," said Gwen earnestly.

"Say there was a murderer in the city," began Morgana hesitantly; she wasn't sure if she should say this out loud at all. "To bring him to justice, you would have to kill the innocents he deceived into defending him; would you do it?"

"My lady, I..." said Gwen hesitantly. Whatever she was expecting, it was obviously not a morality dilemma.

"If you did not kill him, he would continue to kill other innocents," continued Morgana quickly; even she was surprised by the defensive nature of her tone. "Surely it's best to end him before any others have to suffer."

"I don't know the right response to that," said Gwen at last. "If I may ask, why do you want the answer?"

"Leave me please," said Morgana resignedly. "I need some time alone to think."

* * *

><p>Merlin was sneaking through the castle halls again; he had lost count the amount of times he had crept around these shadowed hallways since he arrived in Camelot. He was headed back to the library, where he supposedly he was to teach Morgana more about the nature of magic. However, he had different plans in mind this time. He would have to make her see reason somehow; Arthur was simply not yet ready to be king! As he rounded the final corner to the library, he instead found Morgana writing something at a wooden desk, rather than just reading as she usually did. She didn't look up as he sat down beside her.<p>

"Late again Merlin?" asked Morgana nonchalantly as she continued to write. "I'd expect you to know how to keep the time by now."

"Look Morgana, I've been thinking..." began Merlin.

"Good, it's about time you spent a bit of time using your head," said Morgana as she cut Merlin off. She finished whatever she was writing with a smooth flourish and finally looked up to gaze at Merlin. Merlin met her eyes, as if he was challenging her. He had gone over their previous meetings in his mind and realised that he had always acted with submissiveness towards her; if he was going to get her to respect him, that would have to change.

"I'm here to tell you that you're making a big mistake," said Merlin in his most self assured voice. It was almost like trying to be Arthur, except that he was being reasonable. He expected Morgana to simply dismiss him as she usually did when he challenged her views, but she merely leaned back in her chair and looked at him with a confrontational stare.

"And pray tell, what might that be?" asked Morgana in an irritated tone. "What makes you think that you, a commoner with no education, would know better than me?"

"I might not know much about politics, but your hatred towards the King is clouding your better judgement," said Merlin fiercely. "The entire army is heading out to try and kill something that can't be killed! What would happen if that army was destroyed?"

"I have already taken that possibility into account," said Morgana in a dismissive tone. "I've sent the remaining men we have to watch over the lords we have here in Camelot; if they try and rebel against the crown, I'll have them executed."

"So you're willing to let all those knights die?" demanded Merlin. Surely she wouldn't be so callous when it came to so many human lives.

"Not all of them will be killed, the beast is not powerful enough to slay them all," said Morgana after a moment of hesitation. "None except Uther and his personal guard would die if Arthur wasn't such a idiot."

"He cares about his father. Wouldn't you do the same if you were in his place?" said Merlin quietly.

"My father was not a cruel and petty man who would betray his closest friends and send countless innocents to their deaths," said Morgana furiously; it seemed to Merlin that he had said the wrong thing by comparing Uther to her father. However, he was not going to back down before her now; that would only make him look weak.

"And what about you?" countered Merlin. "You are sending innocents to their deaths just because of your hatred for Uther. Are you not betraying Arthur's trust by sending a man he cares about to his death?"

As he finished his question, he was instantly thrown into the air; he cursed himself for his own stupidity. He had angered Morgana to the point where she snapped, and she had reacted instinctively. Instinct was the first of the six magical emotions needed to power spells; it allowed one to focus their powers related to air, the magical element used to push or pull on physical objects. Unfortunately, he was one such 'object'. Both Morgana and Merlin were sent flying backwards. Morgana landed on a pile of cushions in the library's corner, while Merlin flew in the opposite direction and slammed into an unyielding stone wall.

Magic demanded balance; for every action you did, there was an opposite force to counter your spell. Morgana had forgotten this fundamental law as she pushed on him, meaning that she was also pushed backwards by the force of her own spell. As he groaned from the pain, he managed to cling onto one thought; Morgana did not intentionally use her powers against him. Intent was the second of the magical emotions; it allows one to access the power of the Earth and change the physical reality in minute ways, including making one heavier so that you would be more resistant to external forces. At the very least, it meant that Morgana wasn't trying to kill him... not deliberately anyway.

Shakily, Morgana got up to her feet; she slowly made her way across to Merlin. To the warlock, it seemed that she was fearful of what had happened, but still angry at what he had said.

"You may be right," said Morgana in barely more than a whisper. "But to get rid of someone like Uther, perhaps I need to be as heartless as he ever was. My father was the better man, and look where that got him."

She held out a hand to him, but Merlin wasn't one to give up so easily. He would not accept her words; in his heart, he knew that Morgana was a better person than Uther! He just need to convince her to believe the same. He got up to his feet by himself and met her gaze once more.

"I don't believe that," said Merlin with false confidence. "You don't have to act like Uther. There is another way!"

"I'm done talking with you," said Morgana, anger creeping back into her voice. "You can either follow me, or step aside; just don't get in my way."

As she turned to leave him, Merlin knew that he would have to stop her; if he had to have to force her to do the right thing, then so be it. He reached and tapped into his natural instincts, the same force that gave him the need to protect Camelot. Slowly but forcefully, he pushed Morgana into the far wall. With focused intent, he increased his own weight to counteract his own spell; his feet planted solidly on the stone floor as he stood against the full force of his own spell.

Pinned to the wall by his will, Morgana somehow looked more dangerous and beautiful than before. He limped towards her, his back still aching from the impact with stone moments earlier.

"You know as well as I do that what you are planning will lead to disaster," said Merlin. "If our army is weakened and Uther dies, everything will fall apart! I doubt the sons of the lords will rest for long; most of them wouldn't give a damn about their fathers if it means they gain the throne."

"What makes you think I care about the fate of this city?" asked Morgana stubbornly. "What if I was willing to let Camelot tear itself apart so that Uther meets the end he deserves?"

"I don't believe that," said Merlin simply as he closed in on her. "You wouldn't destroy everything your father built. You're simply too proud to consider that you did not have everything planned out perfectly."

"Either way, it will be too hard to change Uther's mind," said Morgana resolutely; the fire in her eyes remained undimmed despite the fact that he had the upper hand over her. "I'll find some way to keep the kingdom together. Now are you going to let me down or not?"

"Not until you admit that you were wrong," said Merlin in a firm voice.

As he leaned in towards her, Morgana's scent began to overpower his senses; she smelled both sweet and overpowering at the same time, like a rose that had been freshly picked from the King's gardens. In some ways she was very much like a rose; she was extraordinarily beautiful, but her thorns were sharp enough to draw blood from all those who sought to master her.

Morgana took advantage of his lack of concentration; her eyes flashed gold as she pushed against him with the full force of her powers; for the second time in that night, he was thrown across the library. Because she was already against a wall, she could use it as leverage and transfer the force pushing on her to him, thus doubling the strength of her spell. Merlin shut his eyes and tried to prepare himself for the pain that would soon follow. Just as he was about to crash into another wall with earth shattering force, Morgana reversed her spell and pulled on him, grasping on a solid bookshelf as she did so. The spell caused Merlin to slow down enough to make the final blow soft by comparison. As he lay on the ground, dazed by the impact, he barely managed to see Morgana walk over and kneel down beside him. She cocked her head to the side as she looked over him, as if to prove that she would always be far above his station.

"I did nothing wrong Merlin; I simply did what needed to be done," said Morgana softly. She paused for a short moment before continuing, as if she did not want to say what came next. "But you do have a point; saving the army is of vital importance."

"So you do admit that you were incorrect," said Merlin with a smile as he tried to get up, despite the fact that he was still seeing stars in his vision. Morgana quickly laid a hand on his chest and forced him back down, as if trying to make him admit that she had been right all along. Well whatever, she wanted, Merlin was not going to give it to her.

"Everything was going well," said Morgana angrily. "If Arthur wasn't such an idiot, Camelot's army would not be under threat at all."

"So Arthur managed to ruin your plan," said Merlin audaciously. "Maybe that's just a sign that it was a terrible idea in the first place."

"Do not push your luck. Do you want to see if your head is thick enough to break through that wall behind you?" said Morgana in a arrogant voice.

Merlin just lay where he was, stunned that he had managed to make Morgana resort to such crude speech. Somehow, in some way, he had achieved a victory over her, although he did not know how.

* * *

><p>Morgana couldn't resist a smile as Merlin finally decided to head her advice and kept his mouth shut, but quickly smothered it when she realised that she had to resort to threats to achieve his silence; she was usually far more subtle than that. She still couldn't believe the audacity the warlock had shown, but she couldn't help but admit there was some truth in his words. Perhaps she had been too rash with her actions by not considering how Arthur would respond. When she had finally collected her thoughts, she lifted her hand and motioned for Merlin to rise.<p>

"So how do you think we can keep Camelot's army intact?" asked Morgana at last.

"Does saying my opinion count as 'pushing my luck'?" asked Merlin, that cocky smile still on his face.

"If I didn't want to hear it, I wouldn't have asked you," replied Morgana exasperatedly. She was not in the mood for games.

"Well I think the easiest way to kill the creature and save the King..." said Merlin. He voice trailed off when she cast an icy stare in his direction. The very idea of it was inconceivable to her; how could Merlin even think of using his powers to save the king who wished for the death of the entire magical bloodline?

"When you learn how to destroy the beast, perhaps it would be better if we could kill it after the king is dead," said Morgana in a voice that brooked no discussion on the matter. Merlin however, did not seem to sense the subtitles in her voice. She reminded herself that this was not like one of the debates in the court at all; the boy talked with elegance equivalent to that of a battering ram.

'Yet this same boy has won you over with his cause with words,' thought Morgana to herself. She didn't know whether she should be annoyed or impressed with the warlock.

"Well I don't think killing Uther right now would be the best idea," said Merlin earnestly; he actually seemed to think that she would tolerate discussion on this matter. "Arthur is not ready to be king yet; even with the army intact, I don't think he'd be able to rule well."

"I'm glad you've noticed that," said Morgana wryly. "I intend to rule Camelot while Arthur can sit on the throne and play at being king."

Merlin seemed to be shocked by her proposal, but he was a commoner and she shouldn't have expected him to understand the intricacies of the court. Most men believed that the one who sat on the throne was the one who held ultimate authority. While this may be true in Uther's case, she knew there were other kings who merely acted as puppets for the powers behind the throne.

"I don't think Arthur is going to hand over the kingdom to you just like that," said Merlin cautiously.

"You don't know him as well as I do then," said Morgana casually. "He'd much rather fight with swords and horses than to accept the responsibilities of ruling Camelot; for all his bravado, he is still just a boy."

"I don't know about that," said Merlin. "His father's death will change him; he'll want to make him proud."

"If he decides to actually try and rule himself, he'll let the country degenerate into civil war within a month," said Morgana amusedly as she tried to imagine Arthur running the kingdom. Most of the time he didn't even bother to come to the court sessions at all, instead preferring to engage in practice sessions with his knights.

"I think you're underestimating him," said Merlin stubbornly. She frowned as he kept up his argument. Why wouldn't he just stop protecting Arthur? It was maddening!

"I really do not understand your faith in Arthur," said Morgana inquisitively. "Half the time, he treats you like dirt."

"It's not something you'd understand," said Merlin with a sigh. "Although sometimes, I really do hate my lot in life."

"In any case, my decision is final: The King will have to die," said Morgana in an unconcerned voice. "Once he is dead, the army will have to retreat and bring his body back to Camelot."

"But maybe we have to kill the creature before it kills Uther so we can protect the army. What if he stays in the back and lets the beast slaughter his men?" asked Merlin in a desperate voice. It almost made Morgana want to give to the boy; he really seemed to care about the men who would surely die in Uther's defence. But as her mind turned towards Uther's crimes against her father, her heart hardened again.

"I know Uther," said Morgana in a confidant voice. "He always underestimates his enemy, especially when surrounded by so many of his own men. He'll lead the charge, thinking to gain all the glory for himself, and he will be among the first to die."

"But..." began Merlin, Morgana raised a hand to cut him off.

"I don't want to hear anything more about leaving Uther alive," said Morgana sharply. "You need to find out a way to kill that creature; leave the rest to me."

With that she turned to leave the library, only to remember the document she had been writing earlier.

"Oh and I suspect you'll be needing this," said Morgana as she walked over to Merlin. "It's the letter you need to forge for Lancelot. You might not need it once Uther is dead, but we should always prepare for the worse case possible."

Somehow she didn't think Merlin shared her view, but she did not need him to agree with her; all she needed was him to find a way to kill the gryphon. Nevertheless, a part of her wanted Merlin's approval for some unknown reason. She quickly cast aside those thoughts; the only thing that really matter to her was to see her father avenged. She would not let her feelings for Merlin, whatever they were, get in her way.

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><p>Merlin walked back to his own chambers with a small limp, his mouth forming a small frown as he considered the night's events. While he had managed to convince Morgana to help save the army, he did not succeed in his other task. He sighed to himself; he supposed Uther probably deserved the grisly death that awaited him. Still, he couldn't help but wonder about what would happen to Arthur if his father met an untimely end.<p>

He quickly cast these troublesome thoughts aside; they weren't going to help him figure out how to kill the gryphon. It was nearly midnight, and no doubt Arthur would have him working early in the morning. However, as he lay in his bed his mind was still focused on the events in the library. The magical 'duel' he had with Morgana had been exhilarating. He had never felt so alive before; she was almost as powerful as him, but she simply didn't have serious degree of control. He always found that his magic had come naturally, but she seemed to have to force every action. Perhaps that would be something they could work on once this debacle with the army was over.

Slowly, the warlock drifted off into a deep sleep as his mind finally succumbed to his body's needs. The last thought before he fell into the world of dreams was the faint scent of roses.

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><p>As Morgana prepared herself for the night's rest, her mind was focused on the problem at hand. Merlin might be powerful, but she did not want to rely on him alone to save the army. If only she could incite rebellion from some of the minor lords; that would force Uther to keep most of the men in Camelot. Time was her greatest enemy however; any such plot would take months to prepare, and Uther was determined to ride out within the week. She had to admit that she and Uther shared some similar traits. Like her, when Uther decided to do something, nobody could stop him.<p>

She suddenly paused as she considered Uther's strange actions; why did he accept Arthur's suggestion that he take the entire army with himself? The king was a tyrant yes, but he was not stupid. By taking the army away he left his city defenceless; why would he do such a thing? Perhaps he feared that Arthur would try to usurp him, but it had been Arthur who told Uther to take the army in the first place. Besides, it was near unthinkable that Arthur would be able to plot anything at all. She donned her nightgown and subconsciously slipped under her bed covers. While she wanted to figure out this puzzle, the magical duel had left her exhausted, and her body slowly succumbed to the need for rest.

_She could see a great fortress, but it was not Camelot; this city was carved from a mountain and far more grand than Camelot could ever hope to be. And yet it seemed to her that something was missing. The peasants went about their tasks with an air of hopelessness around them. As the vision faded, she thought she saw a feminine figure standing watch from the tallest spire in the city. She was clad in a flowing violet gown and crowned with a circlet that seemed to radiate with the light of the sun. As the image faded, Morgana realised with shock that this woman could be none other than herself._

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><p>It was always dark in the caves beneath Camelot; the human king made his sorcerers carve the structure from beneath the very mountain that protected the north side of the city. Perhaps he wanted to drive Kilgharrah mad; instead he had simply become a lot more patient over the years of his imprisonment. And yet that patience was fast running out.<p>

Kilgharrah had been unable to make any progress towards driving a wedge between Morgana and Merlin, the two most powerful humans of this age. Men did not understand the full intricacies of magic; such knowledge was kept by the dragons alone. These two humans were named Magus, or Warlock in the human tongue; beings who could use all six magical forces inherent in this world, as the dragons could. He had seen visions of the future, a future both were united under a single cause. He could see the beginnings of the eternal empire, spanning both ends of this earth. No force on this world could stand against them. The age of men would last for all time, timeless and unyielding. He could not allow that to come to pass!

Yet every day it seemed that this future was already unfolding within his very eyes. The warlock grows closer to Morgana with each passing day, and despite her distrustful nature, she had begun to warm herself to him. Nothing Kilgharrah did seemed to have any noticeable effect. Were the gods so unjust? Are the humans to remain unpunished for their traitorous deeds?

Kilgharrah knew he would have no answers; his god abandoned his race long ago. He was the last of the great firedrakes of old, the great winged beasts born in the icy fortress of the North. He had no other choice but to keep trying, for what else was there for him to do?

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><p>Lancelot sweated as he helped his fellow knights slowly dismantle one of Camelot's many defensive catapults; his hands blistered from working on the rough wood. There were so many levers and bolts on these contraptions; if left on his own he wouldn't even begin to know where to start his task if there weren't engineers instructing them. The knight did his best to try and remember every detail about the machines as he worked on it; this information may become useful one day.<p>

Once the catapult was finally reduced to its component parts, the engineers carefully placed the metal parts in woven cloth bags, and the wood used to make the catapults were piled onto wagons. When dismantled, the jumbled pieces of wood looked more like firewood rather than machines of war. The king had ordered them to do this task in the depth of night; obviously he wanted it to be kept secret, although he did not tell the men why. It didn't take long for him to finish his task, and the engineers swiftly dismissed them, as if they were afraid that someone had seen them.

As he walked back to his assigned quarters, Lancelot wondered why the king wanted them to dismantle the catapults in the first place. The machines were designed to be mobile; surely if he wanted to take them along on the expedition, he could simply have his army roll them out of the gates. But as he thought about the expedition itself; the more it seemed to him that something was out of place. If they were really just securing the outer villages, two full legions of men seemed to be far too cumbersome for the task.

When the truth dawned on Lancelot, he was almost tempted to hit himself for his own stupidity; why didn't he see it sooner? The fact that they were heading straight east towards the outer villages, rather than securing the nearby villages first, should have told him what he needed to know in the first place. The disguised catapults, the way they were headed, and even the number of men they were taking; they all pointed to one thing alone.

Uther planned to strike against Essetir.

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><p>Merlin groaned as someone shook him from his slumber. It was still dark, and it seemed that he had just closed his eyes mere moments ago. He lifted a hand up to swat away whoever it was beside his bed, only to feel the touch of cold steel as his fingers slammed into chainmail.<p>

"Lancelot?" asked Merlin as he rubbed his sleepless eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"There's no time to explain everything Merlin, but Uther is marching on Essetir," said Lancelot urgently. "He plans to take down the kingdom before Cenred can react."

"Can't it wait till tomorrow?" asked Merlin sleepily; his mind was not functioning properly yet. However, as Lancelot's words finally registered in his mind, Merlin immediately bolted upwards.

"Attacking another kingdom?" asked Merlin in shock. "How could you know that? And what about the gryphon?"

"I don't think the gryphon is on the King's list of priorities," explained Lancelot quickly. "I believe that he just wanted to use the Gryphon as a cover so that he could mobilise his army without the other Kings suspecting anything."

"That does sound like something Uther would do," said Merlin as he immediately bolted up. "But I think you're wrong on one count."

"And what do you think that is?" questioned Lancelot.

"He plans to have Arthur kill the beast while he goes off to war," said Merlin in a grim voice. "I don't think he'll be able to drive it off again!"

"I think that's the least of your worries," said Lancelot. "I recall you saying that you came from Ealdor?"

"Yes, I do," asked Merlin in confused voice. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Uther didn't pack much in the way of food; I'm guessing he did not want to alarm Cenred or any of the other kings," said Lancelot. "But he ordered his men to prepare many empty wagons to be bought along with him."

"You haven't answered my question," said Merlin, his confusion evident in his voice.

"I thought I made it obvious; he plans on pillaging every village between his borders and Cenred's capital," said Lancelot; his face showing pity towards Merlin. "I'm sorry Merlin, but there's nothing we can do now."

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><p><strong>AN: **I hope you enjoyed my first chapter back. Originally I intended to make this chapter a lot longer, but I realised that I might lose some people if I introduced too many new plot elements all at once. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon! (Should be up before Friday). This next one will be where all the action will be taking place, so I want to do it justice.

P.S Did anyone guess what Uther was actually doing before the ending of this chapter? Oh and did you like the way I implemented the magical system in Merlin? I'm writing an index below to explain more clearly how magic works. I have my own set of 'Canon' I wrote up for this fic to give it a better sense of direction. Also I finally did my first Arthur PoV in this fic. Please tell me if you think I got his character right or not.

Remember, I love each and every one of your reviews!

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><p><strong>ARS ARCANUM:<strong>

The Strength of the spell itself depends on the natural ability of the one who casts the spell, as well as the strength of the emotion they are drawing on.

**Magical Element: Air **

**Emotion required: Instinct**

External Effects: The ability to use one's mind to push or pull physical objects to or away from yourself. Forces you create push back on you with equal force in the opposite direction.

Internal Effects: Grants one the ability to see the world in a slower time; i.e have faster reaction speed.

**Magical Element: Earth**

**Emotion required: Intent**

External Effects: Changes your own mass. (Altering the way gravity works by increasing or decreasing its pull.) Can only be used on yourself.

Internal Effects: Enhances natural senses (strength, sight, scent, vision etc.)

**More coming soon (They are already planned out, but haven't been used in my fic yet).**


	10. The Perfect Knight V: Reckoning

**Chapter 10: The Perfect Knight V: Reckoning**

**Disclaimer:** No I do not own Merlin or any of the characters within. If I did, Season 3 would have ended in a very different way.

**Author's Note:** Thank you all for the reviews last chapter! It was nice to see some new names as well as the people I recognize from before. I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it; some certain parts were particularly fun to do. Please remember that I love all your reviews, and they really do encourage me to write faster.

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><p>Morgana awoke as the light of the sun shone through her stained windows, bathing her chambers in multihued colours; she did not gain much rest at all. The dreams have come again to plague her, the same kind of visions she saw before her father died. She knew they were magical in origin, but she still hadn't told Merlin about them; there was no need for the warlock to understand the full extent of her powers yet. She shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts; the visions were trying to tell her something, but they were always so vague; what did it all mean? She didn't even know if the events she had saw would come to pass within days, months, or even decades.<p>

She stared aimlessly at her mirror while Gwen helped her into her gown for the day. She was trying her best to imprint the dream into her memory, only to have her thoughts shattered as someone knocked loudly on her door.

"Gwen, go get the door please," said Morgana as her maid finished tying the final lace on her shimmering violet gown. While she loved the way it flowed around her, Morgana would prefer to wear something that was less cumbersome now that she had to practice with Merlin. Unfortunately, she had to maintain her image as the ward of the King. She wasn't surprised when Gwen opened the door to see Merlin standing outside; he was the only one brazen enough to risk his head by visiting her alone during the day.

"Come in quickly," said Morgana as she motioned for the warlock to enter. Gwen hastily closed the door behind her, looking like as if she was out of her depth.

"I need your help desperately! Ut-" began Merlin. Morgana raised her hand to stop him; didn't he realise that Gwen was still here? They needed to keep their secrets safe; Gwen was good at a great many things, but she had never been good at lying to anyone.

"Gwen, go outside and warn us if anyone passes by," instructed Morgana, knowing how scandalous this must seem to her. For a moment, Morgana wished she could tell her friend the whole truth, but Gwen dipped her head to acknowledge her command, Morgana cast that thought aside. It would best if she could keep this secret from her maid; she wouldn't be able to understand her motives, given how kind-hearted she was.

As her maid left the room, she turned back to Merlin. His clear blue eyes retained his challenging gaze that he bore yesterday; it seemed odd, but he preferred it when he was more sure about himself. He seemed less like the meek and pitiful servant she had met just a month ago with each passing day. For a moment wondered if it had all just been an act to divert attention from his true nature; could the manservant had fooled her for all this time? She quickly turned her thoughts to the conversation as Merlin began to speak.

"Look Morgana, I know we had our differences, but now I need your help," said Merlin hurriedly.

"That's a severe change in tune," remarked Morgana casually. "Is something wrong?"

"Uther plans to march on Essetir," said Merlin hurriedly. "My mother... she'll starve when Uther's troops march in to take everything; we barely get by as it is."

"So when it comes to avenging my father, you aren't willing to do what's right; but you'd do anything to protect your own flesh and blood," said Morgana in an icy voice.

Her mind however was elsewhere, trying to think of ways to use this completely unexpected change of events. How could she have been so stupid? Everything Uther did had been out of place from the very start; it shamed her to think that Merlin, of all people, had figured it out before her. As she considered this unexpected turn of events, an idea formed in Morgana's mind. With a shock, she realised that she had a chance to truly give her father the vengeance he deserved. Death would be too good a fate for the traitor. She recalled the words Lancelot had spoken days before: 'W_hat greater victory would there be than to make Arthur side with you against his own father?'_

"Please Morgana, I need your help; I have no one else to turn to!" pleaded Merlin. He seemed desperate now, his eyes had lost much of their gleam. Once again, he seemed like a hapless commoner who struggled to learn his place in the world.

"We need rid ourselves of Uther as soon as we can, and the only way we could do that is by revealing his plans to Cenred," lied Morgana smoothly.

"But that would be betraying Camelot," said Merlin fearfully. Even in this hour, the boy was still thinking about the country's wellbeing. Could anyone be so annoyingly selfless?

"In life, sometimes one has to choose," said Morgana in a soft voice. "Which do you value more, Camelot's fate, or your Mother's safety?"

Merlin however remained silent, as if he was struggling with some internal conflict with himself. As he turned his gaze to her, his eyes seemed to be wreathed in pain. Morgana felt a stab of fear in her heart. Would Merlin choose to protect Camelot over the life of his own flesh and blood? How could anyone be so frustratingly stupid and... noble? There were few men in the world who would even consider protecting the greater whole over their own desires.

With calculated intent, Morgana leaned forwards until her lips gently grazed against his. They were softer than she had imagined, chapped as they were. She knew that Merlin cared for her; it was cruel of her to use him in this way. However, this was her best chance to set things right for her father, and for Merlin himself; Arthur and Camelot did not deserve his loyalty.

Morgana had meant for the kiss to soften his resolve, a means to an end. She did not expect Merlin to respond as he did. Almost against her will, she gave out a soft moan as Merlin brushed his lips against her own again and again, seemingly becoming more urgent with each pass. Without warning, she spun him around and shoved him onto her bed. As he lay there, helpless before her, she felt a empowered; in that moment she knew that she owned him, body and soul. Her emerald eyes gazed unblinkingly down upon him, like a predator waiting to pounce on her prey.

With a shock, she realised that her actions had become more than just another move in her game; the touch of his lips on her own had ignited a raging inferno that threatened to consume her. It took all her will to pull back and cast aside the lust that threatened to overwhelm her. It made no sense! She had seen far better looking men kneel at her feet and ask for her hand; she had given them no more notice than she would an ant. It seemed ridiculous that the warlock, with his impossibly large ears, strong chin and cool blue eyes, would have this effect on her. She steeled herself and tried to shut out her emotions; they would do nothing except complicate the situation beyond all recognition.

"I'm sorry," said Morgana firmly as she collected herself. "That should not have happened."

"What do you want me to do?" asked Merlin quietly as he got back onto his feet, ignoring her statement and breathing heavily as he did so.

"You must persuade Arthur to write to Cenred; convince him that he must inform Cenred about Uther plans," said Morgana with a slight waver in her voice. "Tell him about the innocents who will surely die in this war; he'll act on their behalf."

"Arthur would never willingly betray his own father," said Merlin in a worried voice.

"Of course not; but that won't be how he sees it. He'll warn Cenred of Uther's approach, and he probably expects Cenred to act as he himself would and simply deny Uther passage into his lands." said Morgana with a hint of a smile on her lips. "I doubt he'd expect Cenred to use the information to lure Uther's army into his own lands before utterly destroying it; Arthur isn't capable of understanding treachery."

"But that's not right, using Arthur like that," said Merlin hesitantly. "It'll break him to learn that he caused Uther's death, even if he didn't want it to happen. And If Uther and the army falls to Cenred, we might as well hand Camelot to him on a platter!"

"Merlin, it may not seem like it, but this is for the greater good. It might not be obvious to you, but Arthur trusts you more than any other person. You must convince him to write that letter, both for your mother and for me," said Morgana softly. "Besides, Camelot will not fall; if Cenred does invade, the lords will unite against him. They may be a rabble, but the threat of foreign invasion always brings them together."

"What if we convince Arthur to send two letters?" asked Merlin with a hint of desperation in his voice. "One to Cenred, warning him of Uther's approach, the other to Uther himself, warning him that Cenred is prepared."

"Uther would not believe him; he'll think Arthur just wants to stop the war; the king knows that Arthur has always been too caring for his own good," said Morgana dismissively. Inside however, she was shocked that Merlin had thought of the idea at all. He was sharper than she had previously believed. If his intellect improved, he would almost become... dangerous. "If he does scout ahead and finds Cenred's men, he'll know that there is someone who works against him in Camelot. Is that what you want?"

"I suppose not," said Merlin wearily as he turned to leave the room. "I guess I'll have to go and talk with Arthur then."

As Merlin left the her chambers, Morgana released a breath that she did not realise that she had been holding; if Arthur did send two letters, it would ruin what she had in mind. She tried to remove Merlin from her mind, but the taste of his mouth remained in her own. She regretted how she had to deceive Merlin in order to achieve her own ends, but the boy had proved to her time and time again that he valued Arthur's welfare over her own.

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><p>Merlin stumbled away from Morgana's room in confusion, his mind reeling from the events that had just occurred. It seemed like something impossible, like a dream that had been horribly twisted. He remember the soft touch of her lips on his own. They had felt so delicate, soft and smooth but strong and unyielding at the same time. With that one simple move she had torn out all resistance from his very soul. In one moment, he had agreed to manipulate Arthur, destroy Camelot's army and sentence the king to death. And yet her words were compelling; Uther would take what he needed from his village until they had nothing left to give; he would send thousands to their death during the course of this war. Would the world not be a better place with him gone?<p>

'And what did you really expect?' thought Merlin to himself. 'When the great Dragon said that Arthur would united Albion, wouldn't he also have to conquer every single kingdom in the land?'

He pondered on these unwelcoming thoughts, but he could not imagine Arthur becoming a tyrant as Uther had. Despite his irritating nature, he knew that Arthur was a better man than Uther. He would never conquer simply because of a lust for power; if he did become a conqueror, it would be to liberate those who lived under the tyrannical rule of kings like Uther.

'And Uther would have to die before Arthur becomes king,' said a voice within his own mind. To him however it sounded more like something Morgana would say. It appeared that she had entrenched a part of herself in him; either that or he was beginning to think the way she was.

In the end what choice did he have? Almost everyone he ever knew lived in Ealdor; he couldn't just sit by idly and watch as Uther condemned all of them to starvation, or worse.

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><p>Arthur was exhausted with the work he had been given. Who on this earth thought it would be a good idea to make him look over the kingdom's finances of all things? What use was it anyway? Coins were made so that they could be spent; he shouldn't have to waste his time counting coppers.<p>

He sighed as picked up yet another piece of parchment; the lords had been piling him with requests in the recent days. He almost wanted to tear the letter in half as he read about yet another loan dispute between two minor barons. Couldn't they just sort it out through single combat instead of bothering him? He was a man of action, not a scribe; they shouldn't expect him to solve all their problems just because he was the regent.

He cursed Morgana again for giving him this role; no doubt she was laughing at him this very moment. He wished she was the one in charge of this menial work; that should wipe that satisfied smile off her face in no time. He paused as he realised that his dream could easily become reality; he was regent, she would have obey his commands. The beginnings of a smile began to form on the Prince's lips; let's see how she liked dealing with all this blasted paperwork.

"Merlin!" shouted Arthur loudly; he frowned when he received no response. His manservant had always been unreliable in terms of punctuality; well as punishment he'll get the task of explaining to Morgana why she had to do all of his work. "Merlin, I want you in here now!"

"Arthur, I'm here," said Merlin in an uncharacteristically bleak voice. The prince dismissed the thought almost as soon as it dawned on him. No doubt Merlin wanted to complain about his perfectly reasonable duties yet again.

"Merlin, I have a very simple task for you today," began Arthur. "Take these documents to Morgana, tell her that I command her to read them and do whatever she thinks is best."

"Arthur," said Merlin with a sense of urgency in his voice. "I need to talk to you about something important."

The Prince sighed; he had long given up on getting Merlin to call him by his proper title, but now he was going to try and make him listen to his problems? This was going too far. He began to raise a hand to signal for silence, only to lower it as he heard Merlin's next words.

"Your father intends to go to war with Cenred," finished Merlin.

"He's going to what?" said Arthur as he almost choked on his words.

"It's true," said Merlin in an earnest voice. "Why else would he agree so readily with you and take the entire army? He knows he'll never be able to catch the Gryphon that way, but it makes for a perfect excuse to mobilise without anyone suspecting too much!"

Arthur did not want to believe his manservant, but his words had a solid ring of truth to them. As the pieces slowly fell into place, he felt a great weight on his shoulders. He had no idea what he should do!

"Arthur, you can't let your father fight this war!" said Merlin urgently. "He may take Cenred by surprise, but Cenred has more men and it'll be his own territory. I don't know much about battle, but I'm thinking that defending a castle should be a lot harder than taking it.

"I need some time to think," said Arthur, his tone maintaining some semblance of pride as he tried not to show his manservant exactly how lost he really was. "How would this be possible? I don't understand is where my father is going to get all his supplies for his campaign."

"Lancelot said that the king intends on taking what he needs from the villages surrounding Cenred's keeps," said Merlin in a grim voice.

"That's ridiculous, my father would never do such a thing," said Arthur angrily as he marched right up to the boy. Who was Merlin to accuse his king of planning such a dishonourable deed?

"How exactly did you think the king got his supplies during his conquest of Camelot?" asked Merlin, his voice unwavering despite how Arthur was challenging him. The boy knew that he could easily have him executed, but Merlin stood firm despite this fact; despite his foolish appearance, Arthur realised that his servant was far braver than most men he knew.

"Even if you're correct, what could I do to make things right?" said Arthur, his voice tinged with despair. "My father never listens to me."

"No, but Cenred will," said Merlin hesitatingly.

"What do you mean?" asked Arthur, fury shining in his steel blue eyes. "I would never betray my Father."

"That's not what I meant," said Merlin hurriedly. "Write a letter and warn him that Uther is marching on him. Surely your father will turn back once he realises that his surprise campaign has been discovered before he could land a single blow. None of your men will be hurt, and no innocents need to be harmed either."

"I don't know how you do it Merlin," said Arthur with grudging respect. "But every once in a while you can come up with an intelligent idea."

To his surprise, his manservant did not come up with a smart remark, as he was apt to do. Arthur paid no attention to it; no doubt the boy had some inconsequential problems of his own. As long as he wasn't bothered, he would not pry into it. As Merlin turned to leave however, Arthur called out to him; the boy froze immediately, as if he was expecting some form of punishment. He really was acting rather strangely today.

"I still want you to take the documents to Morgana; it's up to you how you explain it to her," said Arthur as the beginnings of a smile began to reform on his face. You owe it to me for being late so often.

The boy seemed almost relieved as he quickly grabbed the stack of parchment and left the room without another word. Something about him really did seem off, but he just couldn't place his finger on it. With a sigh, he sat back down in his uncomfortable wooden chair and slowly began to write.

* * *

><p>Morgana glanced around nervously as she pretended to read some tedious volume. Her normally calm face displayed hints of apprehension. Her eyes darted around the musty hall, looking for any sign of the warlock. Doubts began to surface in her mind; what if she had overestimated Arthurs's friendship with Merlin? Would he simply ignore Merlin, or would he even go as far as to execute him for plotting treason? No sooner than she had finished that thought, a familiar figure rounded the corner, carrying a rather large stack of parchment that blocked his vision. Despite the serious nature of their meeting, the sight was comedic enough to draw a small smile from her.<p>

"I see you still have your head on your shoulders," remarked Morgana as Merlin put the documents on the floor beside her. "I assume that means you convinced Arthur to do what he needs to do?"

"Yes, I did," said Merlin in a sombre voice. "I just hope what we did was the right call."

"You did what had to be done," said Morgana simply. Being around Merlin now put her on edge, and she did not want to draw out the conversation. "So what did you bring me?"

"Oh that?" said Merlin as he gestured towards the stack of parchment. "Arthur told me to bring it to you. Err, I think he said that he was too busy to look through them."

"Already shirking from his duties?" said Morgana with a knowing smile on her face. "Tell him that I will take care of them once Uther leaves; I hear he plans to depart tomorrow."

"So this is it then?" asked Merlin quietly. "Everything will change now."

"For the better," said Morgana resolutely. "Oh and one more thing; when Arthur finishes the letter, bring it to me. I want to make sure that I'll be the one to personally deliver it; we can't trust servants with this task, least they link it back to Arthur."

"Why can't either Arthur or I deliver it?" asked Merlin suspiciously. Even at this hour, the boy did not fully trust her.

'With good reason; after all, you are lying to him,' thought Morgana to herself. Yes, the boy was definitely more intelligent that she had formerly believed.

"You're Arthur's manservant; it would look suspicious if you were caught delivering a letter to a foreign king," said Morgana slowly. She gazed at Merlin with unblinking eyes as she did so; she needed him to feel like an idiot. "As for Arthur himself; he is the regent now and all letters he sends should be sent officially. People will suspect something if he is seen sending a secret message in the middle of the night."

"So what makes you immune to suspicion?" said Merlin thoughtfully.

"Pretending to be a helpless damsel does have its advantages; none of the men would ever suspect me being capable of plotting anything," said Morgana with a devilish smile on her face. "That will have to change when Arthur is king, but by that time it will be far too late for anyone to warn Uther."

Merlin nodded thoughtfully to himself and seemed to accept her explanation. As Merlin turned to leave however, she felt a pang of regret in her heart. Although he was just a piece in her plan, it did not feel right to her to tear his word apart by using his desire for her to her own advantage. She would not have given it a second thought before, but on that morning, he had chipped away a small part of the armour she surrounded herself in since the day her father died.

* * *

><p>The sun bathed the sky in red as it appeared over the eastern horizon. It seemed to be an omen to Merlin, the crimson sky was akin to the blood of Camelot's knights that would surely be spilled before long. It would take Uther nearly a week to march his army to Cenred's lands; during which only a small token force would remain behind in Camelot. Arthur had personally picked out the hundred or so knights who would remain behind as his honour guard, Lancelot among them. Merlin didn't know what purpose they might serve; a hundred men may as well be equal to no men at all. If anyone did decide to attack them while Uther was away with the army, they would be reliant on the nobles for protection. That did not sit well with the warlock at all.<p>

"In recent days, our great kingdom has been plagued by a magical threat; a threat no doubt sent by our enemies to weaken our resolve," proclaimed Uther from the front of a great procession of men. His voice was strong and powerful, silencing the excited crowd of peasants who had come to watch him. "Long ago, I led a great crusade against the evils of magic and purged it from this land. Yet evil is subtle; it always seeks to return to the hearts of men who desire power. But we will resist, as we have always done, with our blood, and our steel!"

The people gave out a resounding cheer and raised their fists into the air. Merlin could only gaze in despair as he watched the people bay for the blood of people who were simply born different. It seemed that Uther truly had the kingdom in his grasp, both in body and mind. The people had been long fallen under the sway of Uther's indoctrination. After a few moments, Uther held out a hand for silence, and the entire crowd almost as still as a stagnant pool. How could one man alone hold such power over so man?

"Never again will we bow before those who seek to become master of us 'lesser' men. Today I ride to face our foe; when I return victorious, all will know that Camelot has triumphed over the forces of magic once more!"

A blast of triumphant notes sounded from many horns in the cool morning breeze, heralding the beginning of the campaign. Uther sat proudly as he rode past his people on his pure black stallion. He was clad in gleaming plate mail, with a red and gold cloak tied to his back. The commoners bent their heads in reverence as he passed by them, not out of tradition, but of awe. Despite himself, Merlin had to admit that Uther carried around an aura of power and respect around him; it was almost as if he was a god. No wonder Arthur was also so morose at times; it must be hard trying to live up to his father's reputation.

It took an hour for all the men to leave the city; they seemed like an endless tide of men clad in red and silver, all riding their mounts in perfect unison. They were followed by many servants and wagons; the sound the army created was almost ear shattering. It was a fearsome sight; surely no man would be stupid enough to stand against such an elite force. And yet he knew that they would all be dead before the month was over; it was a sobering thought.

As the last wagon rolled out of the city gates, the people returned to their daily tasks in a city that suddenly seemed far emptier than it had been hours before. Merlin sighed and turned back towards the Arthur, who was standing at attention on the courtyard. He seemed lost, as if he didn't know what to do now that his father was gone. At that moment, he noticed Morgana give a nudge to the prince, as if reminding him of his duty. He seemed to snap back to reality; even from this distance, he could see the prince scowl at Morgana.

"The procession is over," said Arthur in a voice that seemed severely lacking when compared to his father's speech. "I believe you all have work to do."

Merlin sighed as he filed back into the castle along with the other servants. It would be a long time before Arthur was ready to be king.

* * *

><p>Morgana sat down at her polished wooden desk, trying to keep her mind clear for the task ahead of her. Her table was almost buried in letters that the nobles had given to Arthur. She was curious as to why all these 'issues' suddenly appeared as soon as the king has left the city. Surely even their fear of Uther would not be enough to stop the nobles from voicing legitimate concerns while he sat on the throne.<p>

As the King's ward read one complaint after another, she became more and more furious with these lairs who dared to call themselves nobles. Only a few requests contained legitimate concerns; most were from minor lords who were trying to take advantage of Arthur while Uther was away. They demanded more land, more gold or more livestock from either the crown or each other, all in the name of 'serving the kingdom'. They set up 'proof' of their pathetic concerns, hoping to get the crown to side with them over their rivals.

Morgana however could see that many of their claims had no basis; the lords had created substandard excuses. It was likely they didn't believe Arthur would see through their ruse. It was obvious to her that the entire hierarchy was corrupt, and Uther had let it happen; no doubt he wanted them to fight almost themselves for the favour of the crown. And now they were trying to take advantage of Arthur's inexperience; it was an insult to the foundations of the kingdom that her father set down, and by extension, it was an insult to her.

Morgana set down the letters and slowly smiled to herself; well they would be getting a rather unpleasant surprise.

* * *

><p>Morgana watched from the shadows as the nobles filed into the courtroom; it was always useful to observe people before interacting with them. Soon the room was abuzz with conversations; no doubt the lords were wondering about the purpose of this sudden meeting. She preferred it when they were off balance; it was far easier to frighten men who were unsure of themselves.<p>

She strode out from the shadows and headed right towards the throne, silencing the hall instantly. As she sat down, one of the lords almost gave out a squawk of surprise. No doubt they were all wondering why she was the one on the throne, and not Arthur.

"My lady, we were expecting to meet the Prince Regent here," stated Lord Calhoun, the Duke of Durham; he was one of the more powerful lords in Camelot.

"Prince Arthur is not available at the moment," said Morgana with a deadly calm in her voice. "He has tasked me to represent him in all matters of state." She lifted Arthur's seal to show them all that he had indeed given her permission to rule in his stead.

She had gotten Arthur to give her his seal that morning; no doubt he was far more interested in training his knights. Despite their frequent disagreements, she had managed to convince him to allow her to take over the 'boring' task of keeping the kingdom together in one piece.

"My lady," said one of the lesser Barons in a slightly condescending voice. "Forgive the interruption, but perhaps it would best if you left the task of running the kingdom to more capable ha-."

"And who are you to challenge my wisdom, Lord Adalmund?" said Morgana with hidden menace in her voice. "My word is the word of the Regent, and the Regent represents the King. Would you defy your King?"

Adalmund fell silent at her words; his cheeks burning with both shame and anger. The baron was an ally of Calhoun. No doubt he thought he would be under the protection of his master; he would make a suitable example indeed.

"I am here to discuss the requests you have all sent to the Prince Regent," said Morgana as she had a servant bring in the documents. She had chosen Merlin for this task; she wanted him to see what the court was really like. Perhaps then he would understand exactly how fragile the realm really was. She picked through the documents until she found one from Adalmund; the man spoke out against her, and now he was going to pay dearly for it.

"Lord Adalmund, you asked for more grain and livestock from the crown. You say that the harvest has been poor lately, and your peasants were forced to eat the stores you kept for planting," summarised Morgana.

"That it correct milady," said Adalmund with a hint of concern in his voice. "We had a small drought this year, and my people suffer for it."

"I see you have increased the number of men at arms you can field, and the number of serfs you own have grown. Yet somehow you decided to sell grain to the crown mere months ago," stated Morgana in an icy voice. "Why is it that you would sell your supplies to the crown if you did not have enough to feed your own people?"

"My lady, at the time we didn't think that-" began Adalmund, but she silenced him as she rose from the throne to gaze down at him.

"Do you take me for a fool?" demanded Morgana fiercely. "You sold the grain to the crown, knowing that you would not have enough so that you could try and take it back at no cost when winter comes. The Prince may be a naive man fool enough to give you the grain, but I am not. You have attempted to deceive the crown, a treasonous offence."

"Lady Morgana, perhaps it would be best if we waited until the Prince arrives before we make any rash decisions," said Calhoun hastily; no doubt he was trying to save his foolish subject, but it was far too late for that.

"Did you not hear Lord Calhoun?" asked Morgana as she gazed mockingly at him. "My word is the Prince's word. And I judge Adalmund to be guilty of treason."

"You can't do this," shouted Adalmund in a near crazed voice. "I am the son of Eadric; he served King Uther well during the purge! You have no right to accuse me!"

"Your father served the crown well," said Morgana in an almost idyllic tone. "But I fail to see what part you played in it. Guards, seize him!"

The soldiers were men who served the house of Gorlois, she had changed the guard roster before the court session began. They obeyed her command without question, marching forwards and grabbed the Baron, forcing him to his knees. Morgana couldn't help but let out a small smile of satisfaction as she heard some of the other lords gasp out in horror; it was time someone set these imbeciles in their place.

"In the name of Uther Pendragon, first of his name and High King of Camelot, I judge you guilty of treason. I strip from you and all your bloodline your titles, your lands, your wealth, and sentence you to death," stated Morgana calmly, her voice completely devoid of emotion. "For your family's past service to the crown, I will allow your heirs to live, and grant you a merciful death; you are to be beheaded at dawn tomorrow. Your lands will return to the crown, and your men will have seven days to swear allegiance to the Prince Regent, or they will share your fate."

"Ignorant woman, you have no right to do this!" screamed Adalmund as the guards dragged him out of the courtroom. "My sons will avenge..."

As his voice trailed off into the distance, she turned back towards the other lords, who were still shocked into silence.

"Now, shall I go through the rest of these documents?" asked Morgana with a dangerous undertone to her voice.

"My lady Morgana, I believe them to be mundane concerns, not worthy of your time," said another Baron, one of the rivals to Adalmund. He seemed shocked, but in a glad way; no doubt he would somehow benefit from the baron's death. "It would be best if we all pretended they never existed."

"Very well then," said Morgana with a nod. She turned to look at Merlin, who was still holding the documents and looking at her with an equal measure of awe and fear. She couldn't help but notice how adorable he could be when he looked like that; it was almost as if he was a puppy, a creature who was completely out of his own element. "You there, throw those documents into the fire."

"Does anyone else have any other requests they would like to make?" asked Morgana as she turned back towards the nobles; not one man seemed to meet her eyes. The only sound she could hear was the crackling of dry parchment as they fanned the flames in the fireplace.

"We are done for today then; you are all dismissed," said Morgana as she rose from the throne. They bowed low to her, before slowly leaving the throne room in a subdued manner. In that moment, Morgana knew she had finally gained the one thing she had always longed for; the power to shape the realm for the good of all.

* * *

><p>Arthur walked quickly up the stairs that led to the palace; he had been training with Lancelot all day, teaching him the various subtleties of swordplay that the man did not know. He had only just received word from Merlin that somehow, during that time he had apparently condemned a Baron to death. He didn't know what was going on, and he really hated being in the dark. He marched up to Morgana's chambers and forgot to knock before entering, almost running into Morgana's serving girl as he did so. He spared her a small glance before turning to Morgana, who seemed to be expecting him.<p>

"I want you to please explain to me what is going on," said Arthur in an annoyed voice. "Merlin told me that you had decided to execute of the lords; care to explain why?"

"It's simple; I had to make an example of someone, and he happened to say the wrong thing at the wrong time," said Morgana carefree voice. Arthur always knew that his father's ward had a ruthless streak to her, but she sounded even more callous than his father.

"You've gone too far Morgana," said Arthur angrily. "What if they decide to rebel against the kingdom because of your actions?"

"They will do no such thing," said Morgana dismissively. "The moment any one of them marches their army to attack Camelot, the other lords will fall upon them like a pack of starving wolves."

"Don't you think it's a little heartless Morgana?" demanded Arthur in a self righteous voice as he changed his argument. "The man has a son no older than six summers, and you choose to take away his father because you didn't like him?"

"Heartless?" said Morgana, her voice dropped by several degrees as she gazed at the Prince with defiance. "The man was willing to risk letting his people starve just so he could have a few more pieces of gold in his pocket; do you want the kingdom to be run by men like him? If anything I was too merciful; I should have condemned his entire family to death for their treason."

"You don't understand, do you?" shouted Arthur. "I will not allow this realm to be ruled by tyranny!"

"No Arthur, it is you who do not understand," said Morgana in a scalding tone. "All you want to do is to play at being the honourable knight. You command no respect, the lords do not fear you, and they certainly do not love you. You're too soft to be a king; only I can make the necessary decisions to keep the nobles in line."

The words left Arthur speechless; it stung him to the core to hear his own fears spoken aloud. Every word she had said was true; his father always said he had been too naive. What good was he anyway? True, he was the best swordsman in the realm, but if that was what made a king, then Gorlois would have sat on the throne rather than his own father.

"Morgana, I..." said Arthur as he tried to think of something to refute her words, but no noise came from his throat.

"If you wish to prove me wrong, then you will preside over the execution tomorrow," said Morgana as she walked away from him. "Show me that you can be a king as well as a knight."

* * *

><p>It was late into the night when Merlin sneaked into the library, clutching the letter Arthur had written to Cenred. He was still shocked by the way Morgana had treated the nobles, but he could not deny its effectiveness. The entire kingdom knew who was in charge now; he even noticed how the guards straightened themselves as Morgana passed them; whereas before they may have made crude comments behind her back.<p>

He rounded the corner to find Morgana fast asleep at a desk, a letter unfinished on her table. It seemed that ruling the kingdom was a very tiring task indeed. She seemed so peaceful when she was asleep; it almost seemed like a crime to wake her. Never the less, he went over to her side and gently shook her.

Morgana snapped awake and pulled a dagger out from her cloak in one swift motion. Merlin's instincts trigged his inner powers, slowing time and space around him. Even so, he barely managed to step back just as the wicked blade slashed the air where his throat had been.

"Merlin, you startled me!" said Morgana with concern in her voice as she realised what she had just done. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, no parts damaged," said Merlin as he forced himself to relax; whatever Morgana had on mind had clearly set her on edge. "Afraid of assassins creeping in the shadows?"

"Just a bad dream," said Morgana wearily as she sheathed her blade. "Although I wouldn't be surprised if one of the lords wanted me dead."

"You mean Adalmund's friends?" asked Merlin.

"Friends?" responded Morgana incredulously. "Merlin, he was a noble; no doubt all the other lords are already trying to destroy any relationships they had with him so his treason would not taint them as well. No, if they did want me dead, it would be to destabilize Camelot and use the chaos to their own advantage."

"Well you know them better than I do," said Merlin as he sat down in the chair opposite to her. "Still I can't help but feel that there was something else you could have done."

"Enlighten me Merlin," said Morgana in a sarcastic voice. Even though she had said the words in such a disapproving way, Merlin couldn't help but give a small grin. He knew that Morgana would not have even considered listening to Merlin's opinion if he had said the same thing a few days ago.

"I just think that the more you oppress them, the more they will hate you; someone has to stand up for what is right; why can't it be you?" asked Merlin earnestly. "Wouldn't it be much better to have a kingdom founded on respect rather than fear?"

"If they were all honourable men like Lancelot, then perhaps it would be possible," said Morgana with a sad smile on her face. "But unfortunately, the court is filled with slippery eels like Calhoun. Men of honour die young, and only the cowards remain to live to a ripe old age. No, the only way I can keep them under control is with an iron fist."

Merlin couldn't help feel a stab of jealousy, but quickly crushed that thought. Lancelot was a better man than him, and he knew it. Lancelot would never willing send ten thousand men to the deaths.

"But what about the Baron's family?" asked Merlin. "They did nothing wrong to deserve their fate; you know they won't last long as serfs."

"I can't exactly keep them in power after I kill their father, can I?" said Morgana, her tone becoming slightly patronizing. "It would be foolish to leave someone who hates me in power; think of it like pardoning an assassin and letting him become your private cook."

Merlin found himself nodding his head in a minute manner; her every word made perfect sense. Although it seemed cruel to him, even he could not see any other way to deal with the situation.

"I bought you Arthur's letter," said Merlin quietly. "Just make sure it was all worth it."

"Thank you Merlin," said Morgana as she carefully put the letter away. "It seems my faith in you was not misplaced after all."

As their eyes met once more, Merlin was reminded of the kiss they had shared the previous day; her lips, full and luscious, seemed to transfix him. He could hear her breathing quickly, as if she felt the same urge he did. They both stood up at the same time and walked towards each other, as if some force was pressing them together. He leaned forwards, but Morgana gently pressed him back.

"I'm sorry Merlin, but this can never be," said Morgana with genuine sadness in her voice. "When Uther is gone, I will rule Camelot, and you will still be Arthur's manservant."

"What if that changes?" said Merlin fiercely. There was a fire in him that had been absent before; he wanted this, and he would fight for it. "What if one day, Albion was united and Arthur stood at its head?"

"Arthur? He wouldn't be able to keep his Camelot's crown if someone handed it to him," said Morgana with a laugh. It seemed that Morgana did not think highly of Arthur, and Merlin could not blame her, not with the way Arthur acted around her. But Merlin knew differently; Arthur could command respect; Merlin had seen it with his own eyes when he led his men to attack the griffin.

"I know I can help Arthur unite the lands," said Merlin. "Maybe once all this is over..."

"I was always meant to rule Merlin," said Morgana quietly. "And the only man I will have at my side will be a King, or I will have no one at all."

"Is that really want you want Morgana?" said Merlin with suppressed rage.

"It's not a matter of what I want Merlin," said Morgana with regret. "But a matter of what is best for the realm."

With that she spun around and turned to leave, her red cloak flowing behind her like a sea of blood.

* * *

><p>Morgana continued walking until she had reached the tallest part of the castle, where they kept their messenger ravens. What was the matter with her? It would have been easy to give the boy what he wanted and kept him wrapped firmly around her little finger. And yet she had foolishly decided to tell the truth, possibly losing his trust in the process. Somehow, Merlin could break through the wall she had built for herself and trigger feelings long buried. It was a weakness to love; no doubt someone would try to use it against her.<p>

She tore her thoughts away from Merlin; it was bad enough that he had broken through her calm facade, she didn't want to waste her time thinking about him when he wasn't present. She forcefully turned her attention towards the ravens. They were remarkable animals, bred by men long dead to carry messages across vast distances. Some say that they were magical, but even Uther was not foolish enough to kill them; they were the cheapest and most efficient way to send messages across the vast domains that Uther ruled.

She quickly tied the letter to the leg of one of the ravens; its black eyes seemed to gaze at her accusingly, as if it was begging her to reconsider her actions. She looked away from the bird; the black void in the raven's eyes sent chills down her spine.

"Go and find your King," whispered Morgana as she gave the bird her commands. They were remarkably intelligent, able to understand basic phrases; she had no doubt that magic had played some part in their creation. "Fly low over his camp, then onwards to Cenred's kingdom."

As the bird took flight, Morgana allowed herself a smile of satisfaction. Uther's men would shoot down the bird, and the King would see the message; there was no doubt that he would recognize Arthur's hand and his seal. Soon Uther would understand what betrayal was like.

"You were right Merlin, there is another way," she whispered to herself. "Uther will turn his army back, your village will be safe and the kingdom will be secure. The only ones who need to suffer will be the Pendragons."

* * *

><p>Merlin looked through his spellbook feverishly, trying to keep his mind occupied so he would not think of the day's events. He was engrossed by his own research into the Gryphon; every single book he could find stated that the beast was mythological, and none of them offered any way to kill it. The only reference that referred to a way of defeating the creature was a single cryptic line: <em>'A creature born of magic can only be unmade by magic.' <em>He did not notice Lancelot come in through the door until the knight put a hand on his shoulder, almost startling him into falling out of his chair.

"Is that a book of spells Merlin?" asked Lancelot curiously. "I have to admit, I would never have suspected you of being a sorcerer if Morgana hadn't told me."

"Lancelot, you shouldn't sneak up on me like that!" protested Merlin. "For a moment I thought someone had found out who I was."

"You should keep your door locked then," remarked Lancelot with a raised eyebrow.

"Anyway, what are you doing here?" asked Merlin as he composed himself. "I thought you had your own spot in the knight's quarters now."

"I just wanted to see how you were," said Lancelot. "I hope you managed to warn your family back in Ealdor in time."

"Oh that?" said Merlin tiredly. "Don't worry, I... took care of it."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Lancelot. "I must be on my way then, I'm on supposed to be on watch duty in a few hours and I need some sleep; who knows when the winged beast will return?"

As the knight turned to leave, Merlin had a sudden urge to ask the man a question. He was older than himself; surely he would have more experiences with women.

"Lancelot, wait," said Merlin. "I have a question that you might be able to answer."

"Ask away, but don't expect a wise answer," said Lancelot with a grin. "Wisdom has never been my forte."

"What do you think of the Lady Morgana?" asked Merlin simply.

"She's extraordinarily beautiful?" said Lancelot with a laugh. "But I'm sure you knew that already."

"Lancelot, you know what I mean," said Merlin with a serious look on his face. "I just don't understand her."

"She's hard, as she should be," said Lancelot his voice suddenly sombre. "She lost someone she loved at a young age, and as a result she does not want to care, least she experience that same loss again."

"And what if she does care about someone, but tries to shut out those feelings all the same?" asked Merlin in a voice barely more than a whisper.

"Then you'll have to convince her that it's in her best interest to try and care again," said Lancelot.

Merlin had no doubt that what Lancelot said was the truth; but the words still pained him. Morgana wanted a King, and that was someone he could never be.

* * *

><p>"This man, Adalmund, son of Eadric has been judged guilty of treason," intoned Arthur in a strong voice. It felt hollow to him, but the citizens jeered at the man before them as he said the word 'treason'. It seemed they really did believe in whatever he said.<p>

'Or perhaps they just like the blood,' thought Arthur to himself.

"The punishment for treason is death," continued Arthur. "But I will not allow him to be executed like a common criminal. His family was noble, and thus he will die by a noble's blade."

As the crowd gave out a surprised gasp, he noticed how Morgana sent him a questioning look. Yes, he may have agreed to carry out the execution, but he would do it on his own terms.

"Once there was a man who believed that if one is not willing to wield the blade when he kills, then that man who is sentenced to death did not deserve to die," proclaimed Arthur. "His name was Gorlois, and with his strength and wisdom, my father took this kingdom from the barbarians who held these lands. I would like to revive this tradition."

As this, the crowd gave out a thunderous cheer, Arthur walked down onto the execution platform, taking the axe from the execution as he dismissed the man.

"Adalmund, you tried to deceive the crown; you starved your own people so you could put more gold into your own pockets," said Arthur in the most righteous voice he could summon. "I will not tolerate such crimes in this kingdom; thus I, Arthur Pendragon, Crown Prince and Regent of Camelot, sentence you to death."

With one great stroke, he swung the axe down, beheading the man in one clean stroke. The axe was blunted so the execution would be more drawn out. Often it took multiple strokes before a man died, but Arthur saw no point in such needless cruelty.

As he motioned for the guards to take away the body, he scanned the faces of the nobles who were sitting on the benches at the side. Where there had once been looks of disdain or even pity, now they gazed at him with fear. Amongst them, he noticed Morgana give him an approving nod; somehow, none of it seemed to make him feel any better.

Suddenly a bedraggled man on a weary looking horse galloped through the gates, heading directly towards Arthur. The man clutched a minor wound in his side as he did so; something had clearly gone wrong.

"Sire, you must come at once! The creature has returned and was last seen in the village of Charham; I came riding as fast as I could so there might still be hope!" said the rider as he panted for breath.

"Knights of Camelot, we ride at once!" commanded Arthur immediately. "I want to reach that village within the hour."

As he rushed towards his stables, he ran into Merlin; the bumbling manservant seemed to be trying to stop him.

"Arthur, don't you remember?" said Merlin with an edge of urgency in his voice. "The Gryphon is a creature of magic, and it can only be killed with magic!"

"Are you saying I should leave everyone in that village to the deaths?" demanded Arthur. "I will not be seen as a coward who'll sit behind my walls while my people die."

With that he marched on towards the stables; fighting off a magical beast could not be harder than executing that man. In this case, doing the right thing would be easy.

* * *

><p>Merlin struggled frantically to get among the knights who were preparing for battle; he couldn't see much in the mass of human bodies. It was either fate or pure luck when he finally ran into Lancelot, who was fully armoured and already mounting his horse.<p>

"Lancelot!" shouted Merlin loudly. "I can help! Take me with you!"

The knight only had a moment's hesitation before he grabbed Merlin roughly and hauled him onto his horse. They broke out into a canter, following Arthur's steed out of the city gates. Merlin had never ridden on a horse before, and he couldn't decide whether he liked it or not. Although the speed was exhilarating, he was sent flying up into the air each time the horse took a step fowards; he didn't know if his underside could take too much of the punishment he was giving it.

"Just hold on to me and try not to fall off," said Lancelot with a laugh as he realised how uncomfortable Merlin was.

"Hey, try not to insult the person who'll save your life," said Merlin in a good natured voice.

"I'm going to become a laughing stock you know; the knight who carried the Prince's manservant into battle," said Lancelot.

"Maybe they'll change their tune if you were the one to kill the creature," retorted Merlin. "And I'll still be underappreciated by everyone."

"I'll take that as a sign that you do know how to kill the creature," said Lancelot.

Before Merlin could respond, an impossibly large shadow blocked out the sun above him. The men around him screamed in terror as the Gryphon, now three times its previous size, dived down onto the knights, tearing three men and their horses to shreds with a single attack with its vicious claws.

The Creature flew high up into the air before any of the men could attack it, before turning around for another attack.

"Split formations!" cried Arthur at the front of the group of men. "Go for the woods!" The knights galloped off into different directions, giving the Gryphon less targets to take in a single attack. Still, it would only delay the inevitable.

"Lancelot!" said Merlin urgently. "I need to get off the horse!"

"That's suicide!" shouted Lancelot as he urged his horse towards the forest.

"Trust me, I can bring that creature down from the sky!" shouted Merlin as he struggled to make himself heard over the din of battle.

Without warning, Lancelot reigned in his horse. The great stallion reared up on its hind legs and Merlin tumbled off the horse onto the hard dirt. The warlock immediately focused on himself, increasing his own weight by tenfold. He gasped as the sheer weight forced him onto the ground; it seemed that his own bones were collapsing on his own weight. In that second, he reached into his instinctive fear of the Gryphon and pulled as hard as he could on it. The gryphon gave out a loud screech as it was suddenly lurched out of the sky and was pulled with incredible force towards Merlin's position. Merlin released his pull and lightened himself, before enhancing his speed, allowing him to roll out of the way just in time.

The Gryphon crashed into the ground with incredible force where he had been a second before. The entire process had taken only one heartbeat, but he almost killed himself already; he could see black spots in his vision. He panted in exhaustion and looked to his side, only to widen his eyes in horror as he beast rose from the ground, it's wings shattered but still very much alive.

With a battle cry, a nearby knight turned around and charged the Gryphon with his lance. The beast shifted its head to dodge the blow, before thrusting its terrible yellow beak through the man's breastplate, killing him instantly. The beast was so beautiful and terrible at the same time; the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. How could such a creature even exist? At last, the simple truth of the matter finally hit him; how could he not have seen it before?

"Rally to me!" cried Arthur in the far distance. Merlin could see he and Lancelot had been left alone in the field; the other knights were either dead or somewhere in the woods. His anger built as he thought of all the men the creature had already killed; he would finish it, here and now. But first he needed to buy some much needed time. He focused his rage and created an image of a terrible figure the height of a tower, clad in black and cast it within the beast's mind. The Gryphon grew frenzied as it attacked the nonexistent enemy, seemingly writhing in pain with each unseen blow.

While the creature was distracted, Merlin forced himself to be calm and focused on Lancelot, who was watching the creature from a small distance, searching for a gap from where he could strike. He reached out into Lancelot's mind and tapped the power inside him. The power he used now could change the hearts of men, enhancing existing emotions while dampening others. He completely smothered the fear and uncertainly Lancelot felt, strengthening his rage, courage and resolve. Most importantly however, he forced Lancelot's disbelief of the creature to grow more powerful than any other thought.

"Lancelot, strike at its heart!" cried Merlin urgently. He didn't know how long he could maintain his hold on Lancelot's mind. It was more powerful than anything he had ever attempted before. Calm, he must force himself to stay calm! That was easier said than done when a massive creature the size of a barn was right next to him, tearing at an enemy that did not exist.

The knight obeyed Merlin's command instantly, charging forwards with all the speed he could muster. As the lance impacted on the beast's skin, the previously impenetrable armour gave way and parted. Lancelot's spear struck true, impaling the beast on his spear. The creature gave a final shriek of agony before it glowed with a brilliant white light, dissipating into the cool morning breeze.

"How..." said Lancelot with awe. "All our other weapons have failed before, why now?"

"I kept thinking back to how Gaius had said that he found the creature in books on mythology," explained Merlin with a grin. "When I looked at it up close, I finally understood; Gaius was right, the beast is a mythical creature, it didn't exist at all!"

"So what was the thing that just killed so many of us?" asked Lancelot grimly as he ran over to check on the bodies of his comrades.

"It was an illusion," said Merlin with a sigh. "The wounds it inflicted draw on our own imagination. Every time it attacks, it is our own thoughts that give it the power to kill. We believe we should die from a blow, and so we do."

"You still haven't explained to me why I was able to kill the creature when so many others before me have failed," said Lancelot.

"Everyone else feared it; fear was its armour. If there was a smart part in you that did not believe you could kill it, then it would not die," explained Merlin. "I'm sorry, but I had to change the way you think. I pushed away your fear and made you brave to the point of being suicidal. Most importantly, I drew on your disbelief of the creature; in that one moment, you did not believe that the creature could exist, and so you could kill it."

"For a moment, I felt empowered, as if I was a knight from the stories of old," said Lancelot bitterly. "My courage, my strength, it was all a lie. You created those thoughts in me, they were not my own. It was you who slew the creature."

"No Lancelot," said Merlin firmly. "Magic can only be used to manipulate, it cannot create. The courage and will you used to slay it was yours and yours alone; I only strengthened those thoughts."

Lancelot flashed small smile at Merlin, though it appeared that he was still not convinced. As the other knights rode back into view, they gave a resounding cheer for Lancelot; no doubt they had seen the fight from a distance. Merlin however felt only worry; if it was an illusion, then someone must have given it life. The question was who?

* * *

><p>King Uther Pendragon watched with disdain as his commanders piled their questions before him; did the men have no minds of their own? Not for the first time, he wished he still had Gorlois to rely on, as he once did when he conquered Camelot. But those glory days were long behind him; his head was filled with grey now and his old friend had chosen to become his enemy. If only the foolish knight had seen see what he did for all of Camelot. Some men called him a tyrant, but was tyranny not preferable to chaos?<p>

"Your Grace, even with all our numbers we cannot hope to take Cenred's castle," said Agravaine, the brother of his beloved wife and field commander of his army. He had no doubts he man still harboured a grudge against him for killing his brother, but that meant he was the only one willing to caution him, his other commanders were a bunch of fools who would agree with everything he said rather than risk his wrath. "He outnumbers us two to one, and we will have to fight him on his own ground."

"And yet Cenred knows we'll defeat him in open battle," said Uther, his own voice laced with impatience. "Our men are better trained, better armed and better fed. Cenred leads nothing more than a bunch of peasant boys; he cannot hope to defeat us unless he knows of our position in advance."

"And yet even peasant boys can throw rocks down from castle walls; we don't have any siege towers, all we have are these exposed ladders. It'll be a massacre if we attack the castle," said the Agravaine in a worried voice.

"Which is exactly why we won't be attacking the castle," said Uther with a smile. "We will take our men and ravage his country side. When Cenred's people sees their lands lying in ruins around them while their cowardly king sits behind his high walls, who do you think they will call king?"

"A... wise plan indeed, Your Grace," said Agravaine with grudging respect in his voice.

"Truly, there is no greater man on this earth," said one of his other generals, a man of no particular importance. Yes they were useful when keeping the kingdom in check, but when it came to war they contributed absolutely nothing.

"Lord Agravaine, you will take a thousand of our cavalry and scour the country side, take whatever we can use and burn the rest," commanded Uther. "Try to leave some of the peasants alive, we don't want to slaughter the entire kingdom."

"As you command," said Agravaine as he bowed his head and made to leave the command tent.

As Agravaine made it to the tent flaps, a messenger boy rushed in, carrying a raven with an arrow shot through its heart. He frowned as he saw that it was one of Camelot's ravens; the birds had a mark branded into them at birth.

"I hope you realise how expensive those birds can be," said Uther with a frown.

"Forgive me, Your Grace," said the boy fearfully. "But our scouts saw it flying towards Cenred's kingdom and managed to shoot it down. They said that you had to read the letter for yourself."

"Give it here," snapped Uther impatiently. The boy hurriedly walked over to the King and placed the piece of parchment in his outstretched palm.

As the King scanned the letter, his eyes became a veritable focus of both rage and sadness. Was this the gods way of punishing him? How could his own son, his flesh and blood, turn against him? He had expected treachery from all others except his own children. How could Arthur, who seemed the most innocent and foolish, be so heartless? Had it all been an act to fool him all along?

'And what did you expect, with a father like you?' said a voice inside his own head. 'A man who betrayed his one and only friend, stole his wife and fathered a bastard you won't even recognise?'

"Summon the bannermen, we march back to Camelot at once!" said Uther in a fearsome voice that made many of his commanders cower in their boots. "I will take our best men and their mounts; we will ride back to Camelot as fast possible. The rest of you will have to follow as best you can."

"Your Grace?" said Agravaine with shock. He was obviously the only one who dared to say anything at all, but the no doubt the question was on the lips of every man in the tent.

"It's Arthur," said Uther grimly. "It appears he tires of waiting for his father to die, and now he sides with Cenred to quicken the process. He wants the throne for himself."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I know, I said I wanted to end the episode in this chapter, but it actually wasn't possible. There's still so much left to explain and I really didn't want to publish a chapter with twenty thousand words. Did you like the way how I showed you Morgana's plan, or did you think it was too confusing to follow? (I'm sure some of you must have guessed her real intent long before she sent that raven away.) Anyway, please review if you can spare a moment of your time!

P.S I really did not like how there was a special 'Gryphon killing spell' in the show. I mean seriously? Hopefully you liked my explanation of it better than the original version; it fits in my magical system too!

* * *

><p><strong>ARS ARCANUM:<strong>

**The Strength of the spell itself depends on the natural ability of the one who casts the spell, as well as the strength of the emotion they are drawing on.**

* * *

><p><strong>Air – Emotion required: Instinct<strong>

External Effects: The ability to use one's mind to push or pull physical objects to or away from your own centre of gravity. Forces you manipulate push back on you with equal force in the opposite direction. These forces are existent in everyday life, except they push against each other all the time. Magic simply makes these forces unbalanced.

Internal Effects: Grants one the ability to see the world in a slower time; i.e have faster reaction speed.

**Earth – Emotion required: Intent**

External Effects: Changes your own mass. (Altering the way gravity works by increasing or decreasing its pull.) Can only be used on yourself.

Internal Effects: Enhances natural strengths, sight, scent, vision etc etc.

* * *

><p><strong>Fire – Emotion required: Rage<strong>

External Effects: Manipulates energy (fire, heat etc etc). Can 'create' heat energy. (Draws on the energy of matter around us and causes them to react, thus transforming stored energy into heat energy from radioactive decay; does not actually create).

Internal Effects: Makes people or creatures see what is not real; i.e Illusions. Cannot make someone see what they would never believe.

**Water – Emotion required: Serenity**

External Effects: Encourages or dampens all emotions in people (can choose the emotions to manipulate) Hate, Despair, Love etc. You cannot create emotions that are not there in the first place, and you cannot use it on yourself.

Internal Effects: Grants the ability to process ideas at impossibly fast speeds. Each person maintains their own logic however. For example, it would not make an idiot a genius; the spellcaster will still reach the same conclusions, just with less time.


	11. The Perfect Knight VI: Treason

**Chapter 11: The Perfect Knight VI - The Price of Treason**

**Author's Note: **Once again, thank you for all the reviews! I love how so many people put so much thought into their reviews, it really does make me think about my story and change up some ideas.

Sorry about being a little late with this update, but it took a while to figure out a way to make this chapter interesting in its own right rather than just being a wrap up chapter for this episode (wow does it really have six parts?). As usual, please leave a review if you have the time, and I hope you all enjoy reading this chapter!

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><p>Morgana watched the flaming orange sunset while Arthur's men celebrated their victory over the Gryphon; their cries of mirth reached her even as she stood atop the battlements. She felt no such need to rejoice; she knew the man who really defeated the beast was no doubt being ignored again. How could he stand being treated as dirt, when he had the power to destroy them all with a single thought?<p>

"Enjoying your walk?" said a voice from her side. Morgana instantly spun around, only to see that it was just Merlin.

"I'm surprised to see you here Merlin," said Morgana with an air of melancholy. "Shouldn't you be at the celebrations?"

"It doesn't sit well with me," admitted Merlin. "Not when I know what we have done."

"Still feeling guilty?" said Morgana as she pasted a small smirk onto her face; Merlin's conscience made it far too easy for her to toy with him. "What if I told you that your fears are not grounded in reality?"

"I do not understand," said Merlin in a confused voice.

Morgana turned back towards the horizon, ignoring Merlin's words. As she did so, she finally spotted what she had been waiting for all along: a flash of red on the green plains.

"Look Merlin," whispered Morgana as she pointed towards the tiny figures in the distance. "The Knights of Camelot return."

"But how..." spluttered Merlin. "I thought you meant for Cenred to ambush them!"

"Merlin, you didn't think I would really let the kingdom my father built fall into ruin, did you?" asked Morgana resolutely. "I did what I needed to do; the army returns intact."

"The letter," said Merlin with rounded eyes as he finally realised his own part in her scheme. "You meant to send it to Uther all along. But Arthur..."

"And now Uther believes his son to be a traitor," confirmed Morgana. "When the army is forced to pick between Uther and Arthur, who do you think the majority will follow? The man who leads them from the front, or the man who sits on his throne and tells them what to do? In any case, if they feel no loyalty to either man, I still control the treasury."

"You mean to force Arthur into seizing the throne and kill his own father," said Merlin, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"It'll be civil war, and hardly anybody will side with Uther," said Morgana with a determined voice. "Even the nobles will fight for Arthur; I'm sure they'd much rather have someone they think they could manipulate on the throne."

"You should have told me," said Merlin despairingly.

"Why, so you could disagree and ruin everything?" asked Morgana with a raised eyebrow.

"You might not have realised it, but Arthur values Camelot above his own life," said Merlin in a glum voice. "He'll offer himself up to Uther to prevent civil war."

"Come now Merlin, even Arthur must have some sense of self-preservation," said Morgana with a hint of worry in her voice. "Besides, he should realise by now who his father really is; if he surrenders, Uther will kill everyone who ever supported him. He may be willing to sacrifice his own life, but what about the lives of his friends?"

Merlin began to respond, but she cut him off as Uther began to speak. These moments would be crucial, and she would not want Merlin to voice his concerns now.

"In the name of your King, open the gates!" cried Uther from below. "My son, Arthur Pendragon, is guilty of treason against the crown, and I demand that you bring him to me at once!"

Even from this distance, she could see the pain on his face, and she felt a sense of satisfaction pulse through her body. Now Uther understood the feeling of being betrayed by someone that he loved.

"I'm sorry, Your Grace," said the guard. "But I answer to the Prince Regent, and him alone, you'll have to ask him if you want to enter the city."

Morgana smiled coldly as Uther turned back and galloped towards his own army; say what you will about Arthur, the man could command loyalty among the soldiers he led. Uther, in his arrogance, had misjudged his men's allegiance; their love for Arthur was greater than their fear of their King. The reason for the mens' loyalty was still a complete mystery to her; surely being a good swordsman couldn't be that impressive. Never the less, the men inside the city would never allow Arthur to come to harm while they lived. Uther may not know it, but one word from Arthur and most of his common soldiers and lower born knights would turn against him.

At that moment, Arthur himself arrived on the castle walls. His face was full of confusion, as if he could not fully grasp the meaning of the situation. Merlin's warning still rang fresh in her head, and she moved resolutely towards the Prince; she need him to make the right choice now.

"Arthur, I don't know what happened, but your father has accused you of treason!" said Morgana with a false air of desperation.

The look on Arthur's face was one of utter shock; in different times it would almost have been humorous. But she need Arthur to be a king now, not a boy who sought his father's approval.

"It's the truth," said Arthur at last, his face filled with shame. "I wrote a letter to Cenred and foiled his invasion."

"You did it to protect innocent men and women who would have died without your intervention," said Morgana firmly. "How many knights on our side would have died during the course of this war? How many innocent lives would have been destroyed?"

"I don't think my Father would see it like that," said Arthur with a sigh.

"Uther's views are old, as he himself is," said Morgana softly. "Give the word to your men; raise arms against your father and take the throne that has always been your birthright."

"You want me to cast this kingdom into chaos by initiating a civil war?" said Arthur angrily. "I wonder how many innocents will die in this war."

"This is different, " said Morgana with conviction. "Their lives are miserable under Uther; if a few of them have to die so that their future could be brighter, then their deaths will mean something."

"Even if I go against everything I have been taught and rebel against my father, what makes you so sure that I'd win?" said Arthur heavily.

"I once said that you commanded no respect; I lied," said Morgana unabashedly. "You do not have the respect of the lords, but the common men love you; they would die for you if you gave the word. Give out the call to arms, and you'll find that half of Uther's own men would rather fight on your side than his."

"They love me because they believe that I am a better man, and I would be betraying their trust if I used them to seize the throne," said Arthur with a firm voice. "Someone has to stand up for what is right, and I am not willing to become a man who would kill his own father to save his own skin."

"And what of the lives of your friends?" demanded Morgana. "Uther already thinks you have rebelled against him; everyone who ever supported you will be punished!"

"I'll make sure my father knows that my faults are mine alone," said Arthur. "I will take the punishment upon myself; I will open the gates to my father, but only after he agrees to my terms."

Morgana watched with disbelief as Arthur walked away from her; because of his idiotic sense of honour, everything she had worked was in jeopardy. Surely he could not be as naive to think that his father will keep to any terms that he made?

"I told you," said Merlin quietly behind her. "You may not have wanted this, but you have caused his death."

"This isn't over," said Morgana fiercely as she turned around and walked down the stairs. Inside however, she was filled with despair; everything was unravelling around her.

* * *

><p>"You asked me to come to you," said Uther in an emotionless voice as he rode at the head of Camelot's entire army. "Have you decided to surrender?"<p>

After his initial message, the king had returned within hours, bringing the bulk of his army with him. They were laid out in battle formation; waves among waves of men in gleaming armour, all arrayed in straight rows and columns. It looked like a sea of red stood on the fields outside the city gates, and it looked as if they were making ready to attack Camelot itself. Arthur shook his head and tried to clear his thoughts; how could it have come to this?

"Father, I asked you to come here so that I could treat with you," said Arthur as he looked down the wall at his father. "There is no need for bloodshed; I will open the gates, but only after you agree to my terms."

"Name them," said Uther curtly. "But one thing is not up for discussion: I will determine your fate."

"Firstly, I want you to stop any plans of invading Cenred's kingdom," said Arthur.

"You have already destroyed our war effort; taking the country would be nearly suicidal now that Cenred knows of our intentions," said Uther angrily.

"My other request is that you spare the lives of those who were willing to stand at my side against you, " said Arthur in a strong voice. "They mean you no harm, and I do not want them to suffer for me."

"I agree to your terms," said Uther, much to Arthur's relief. A small part of him was suspicious, as if feeling that there was something wrong. Arthur however crushed those thoughts; his father was an honourable man, he would keep to his word.

"Open the gates!" commanded Arthur as he turned towards the gate guard; the man did so reluctantly, as if he feared the consequences of his actions. He did not understand; for Arthur did what he had to do. He would not initiate a civil war, as Morgana had wanted him to do. He wondered why she seemed so eager; did she really believe that he would make a better king that his father?

Arthur knelt before the gates as they creaked open. His father rode in slowly, like a harbinger of doom from one of the old tales. He remained on one knee as the king dismounted and slowly walked towards him.

"Why?" whispered Uther as he approached him. "Have I not given you everything you own? A life of privilege, where you never knew the pain of hunger, nor the unforgiving work of tolling the fields?"

"I could not let you go to war," said Arthur as he returned his father's gaze. "You would have destroyed the lives of many innocents, and I could not allow that to happen."

"And so you would willing sacrifice your father to save a few peasants," said Uther in a bitter voice.

"Sacrifice?" asked Arthur in a confused voice. "I never meant for you to die, I..."

He was cut off as Uther slammed a metal gauntlet into his face. The Prince saw stars in vision and tasted the metallic tinge of blood in his mouth. Never the less, he managed to stay upright, as if he was challenging his father still.

"Don't try to lie to me, boy," said Uther angrily. "You gave our location to Cenred so he could cut all our throats in the night!"

"Your Grace," said Ser Leon, one of the knights beside Uther. "I do not believe that was the Prince's intention; perhaps he thought Cenred would be an honourable man and simply meet us in open battle."

"Silence," shouted Uther as he turned on the knight. "You know nothing of this, and it would be best if you remembered your place."

Arthur did not respond as he considered the king's words. How could he have not seen that possibility? What if Cenred had really gotten the message and chose to ambush his father instead?

"I see you have nothing to say, now that your treachery has been revealed," snarled Uther. "Guards, take him to the dungeons!"

As the men grabbed Arthur's wrists, he shook them off violently, sending one man to the ground with a thundering crash.

"I know the way father," said Arthur proudly. "I don't need to be dragged like some common criminal; I'll walk myself."

"You still pretend to be honourable, after you tried to kill your own father," said Uther in a deadly whisper. "It's time for the people to see the fate of those who would defy me."

The guards grabbed Arthur again and this time they managed to force him onto his knees; what was his father planning now?

"Ser Leon, seize that man," said Uther as he pointed towards the gate guard. Arthur had heard that the man defied Uther's commands a few moments ago, but the king had given his word!

"What are you doing?" said Arthur with a hint of fear in his voice. His father however ignored him.

"You defied my commands, even though I was your king," said Uther as he stood over the struggling man. "For this crime, I sentence you and all your bloodline to death; you will be hung drawn and quartered, and your head will serve as a reminder for those who would dare to consider going against my orders."

"You promised that the men who served under me would come to no harm!" shouted Arthur as they dragged the struggling man away.

"And you promised to serve your king in every way when I named you the Crown Prince of Camelot," said Uther sadly. "It appeared that we both lied."

* * *

><p>The stairs to the dungeons were treacherous; they were delved so deep that they cut beneath Camelot's foundations. As she descended, Morgana wondered how these halls could have been crafted; surely no human hands could have shaped something so vast. She cleared her thoughts as she approached the two guards. Unlike the usual two incompetent men who guarded the cells, these two men were part of Uther's royal guard. They were fanatically loyal to the king, no doubt because they had been indoctrinated by his beliefs from birth. She wondered again at the loyalty Arthur commanded, what exactly did he have that she did not? The men were not taught to worship him, and yet each one them would have died for him.<p>

"Halt!" cried one of the Guards as she approached; they crossed their spears to bar her passage. "By the order of the King, no one may see Arthur Pendragon."

Morgana wished she could use her powers to affect their emotions; Merlin had once explained those spells to her, but they were far beyond her grasp for now. They required a degree of control she had not gained. If she tried now, no doubt she would push too hard, wiping all emotions or making another consume all their thoughts. Even the uneducated guards would know that something was wrong if that happened. She would have to settle for words instead.

"You will allow me through," said Morgana as she placed a hand on the guard's breastplate and pushed him to the side. "I am the King's ward, and I will not be stopped by some common plebeian."

The guards hesitated, but Morgana knew they wouldn't dare lay a finger on her; it would be their heads if they did. She walked towards the two men as if they weren't there, and they hastily lifted their spears. She smiled to herself; why did one need magic when you could command them with words? True power lay not in magic, but in the way others judged your importance. She wished Merlin would understand; then perhaps he would understand why she had to rebuff his advances.

The scent of the dank dungeon assailed her scent as she approached Arthur's cell; he was sitting with his back against the cell doors, looking up towards the cell window. It stuck her how different this Arthur was; she would have expected him to be less beaten, even in his current situation.

"Arthur," called out Morgana as she stood outside the cell. "I've come to see how you are."

"I didn't expect to see you here," said Arthur in a tired voice. "You're the first visitor I've had."

"The king has prohibited anyone from seeing you while he decides what to do with you," explained Morgana. "As for how I'm here, well let's just say that being the King's ward has its advantages."

"So why are you here?" asked Arthur with a sigh. Morgana shifted uneasily on her feet; it wasn't like Arthur to be so broken. Surely being imprisoned wouldn't have shaken him that badly.

"As I said, I came to see you," said Morgana mysteriously. "Here you are, the Prince of Camelot, moping around in his cell like some common criminal. I would have thought you'd be making more noise."

"If you came to gloat, you could have said so in the first place," said Arthur with a scowl on his face.

"I'm here to drag you out of this pit of self pity you seem to be currently stuck in," said Morgana with a sigh. Did Arthur really think she'd be low enough to beat him when he was down?

"That man trusted me, and it was because of me that him and his entire family is dead," said Arthur morosely. "You were right; I'm no king. Everything that I touch seems to fall to pieces."

"I warned you it would happen," said Morgana. "You should be glad that he didn't execute every single guard in the city for not bringing you to him; seems Uther has mellowed out in his old age."

"Do you think my Father is capable of such cruelty?" said Arthur with an air of despair in his words.

"Capable? He's done it before when he took this city," said Morgana with a raised eyebrow. Surely even Arthur would have paid attention to his kingdom's history. "When he took the city he ordered the deaths of every third man in the city as punishment for delaying his final victory."

"That's... horrible," said Arthur. "But he had to have his reasons."

"That is true, he did it to make a point; after that day, no one dared to defy him again, at least not in public," said Morgana thoughtfully. "And to reduce the number of men who would partake in a rebellion against him, if there was any."

"So is this how you plan to drag me out of this place, by telling me what a tyrant my father is?" said Arthur with a sigh. "Or are you trying to tell me that I should have listened to you and -"

"There are guards outside, probably listening to our every word!" said Morgana in a whisper, cutting Arthur off as. "Unless you want to share that cell with me, you best stay quiet about that."

"So how exactly do you intend to 'help' me?" asked Arthur. "Because the way I see it, my father is going to kill me no matter what I do; all I can do now is to make sure nobody else dies because of me."

"He won't kill you," said Morgana confidently in a low voice. "At least he can't if he's dead and you sit on his throne."

"And you've come to me why? In case you haven't realised, I'm stuck in this cell and I can't unlock this door," said Arthur with a tired voice.

"You still have men loyal to you in this city," said Morgana in a conspiratorial voice. "I can organise the men we need to break you out of here; after that you can lead them to Uther's chambers and slay him. Then you will be the king."

"You still don't understand do you?" said Arthur quietly with a humourless laugh. "If I go and assassinate my father in his sleep, I'll become no better than him; I will have betrayed everything I believed in."

"Your father would see the entire city burn before anyone else claims his throne while he lives; is that the kind of man you would want as your king?" said Morgana angrily.

"I know you would not have been able to kill your own father Morgana, no matter what he did," said Arthur in a weary voice. "In the same way, I cannot kill my father, not even for the good of Camelot; I'm sorry."

Wordless, Morgana spun around and left Arthur, her mind swirling with wild thoughts. How could Arthur be so stupid; hadn't Uther shown complete disregard for his own son? Why was Arthur so intent on defending him? And yet a small part of her knew what he said was true, she would never have been able to kill her own father either. She quickly discarded those ridiculous thoughts; her father was not a monster like Uther was; and whatever it took she would see that man bought to justice. For now though, she would have to find some other way to save Arthur first. She walked resolutely towards the entrance; the guards were no doubt waiting outside and it would be far too risky to let them live, least they heard anything incriminating; she knew that if they did, then they would try to arrest her themselves. Either way, her plots against Uther must not be revealed to him on this day. She summoned that elusive power that she could barely grasp and prepared herself as she exited the through the entrance of the dungeons.

To her surprise, both guards were incapacitated; she noted that the guards' cups were lying on the ground with spilled water; it seemed that someone had managed to spike in their drinks. She hurriedly spun around to look back into the dungeon and barely managed to get a glimpse of a silhouette of a human figure in the distance. She called out to it, but the figure quickly disappeared around the corner. For a moment, she considered following the figure but quickly decided against it; whoever poisoned the guards was obvious no friend of Uther's, but that did not mean that they shared her goals. Who knows if they would be hostile to her or not?

Morgana walked over to the guards and checked their pulses; to her great surprise she found they were still breathing. She smiled to herself; it had to be Merlin who did this. Nobody else would bother drugging the guards instead of just simply killing them. Still it was far too risky to let them live. As usual, Merlin had not though far ahead enough to realise what the guards would say after they woke; no doubt they would recall letting her enter the dungeons, and she could not let them think that it was her who poisoned them. Drawing a dagger from under her cloak, she quickly slit their throats and watched as their life slowly seeped out of their bodies. It was distasteful, but she reminded herself of what Uther had done to her father. If these men served Uther willingly, then they deserved to share in his fate.

With that she left the dungeons, taking care to avoid notice from the guards as she walked back to her own chambers. As she did so, she couldn't help wondering about one thing: what had Merlin hoped to achieve in the dungeons?

* * *

><p>As Merlin descended beneath bowels of Camelot, he wondered what Morgana was planning now; he knew by now that she was always up to something. Despite the fact that she had caused Arthur's imprisonment, Merlin had to admit that her plan did have some merit to it. With a single stroke she had stopped the invasion, saving countless innocents from the savagery of open warfare without ever implicating herself in the act. It was a brilliant manoeuvre and almost everything went according to her plan; if Arthur had acted as Morgana suggested then perhaps even now he would sit on the throne of Camelot. And yet he felt hurt that she used him in her plot; surely she could have trusted him?<p>

Merlin shoved aside his thoughts and walked as quickly as he dared down the winding passageways that lead to the Dragon's cave. The great beast had always had an answer for him before; surely he could tell him what to do now. There had to be a way to save Arthur, and while Morgana would have her own plan, the warlock believed that he had to act on his own. After all, if she did not trust him, why should he trust her with his most important secret? He finally reached the entrance to the massive cavern, and his eyes had to slowly adjust to the darkness.

"I'm here!" cried Merlin aloud, his voice echoing in the darkness. "Arthur is in danger, and I need your help!"

A great shadow flew over him, sending powerful gusts of wind in his direction and nearly knocking off his precarious position. Merlin grimaced as he steadied himself on the outcrop of rock that he was standing on; why was the dragon so fond of his 'grand' entrances?

"And you only have yourself to blame for that," hissed the dragon as he landed in front of him.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Merlin in a defensive voice. "I never meant for Arthur to come to harm!"

"True, you were merely a pawn in someone else's plots," said the Dragon with a sigh. "You persuaded Arthur to write that letter, but the idea was not your own."

"Why do you hate Morgana so much," said Merlin in an angry voice. She stopped the kingdom from entering a destructive war; if Arthur wasn't so thick-headed, none of this would have happened and he would be king by now."

"Is that what you think?" said the Dragon with a hollow laugh. It was strange, such a human noise coming from a massive beast of his size. "Do you think Morgana did everything for the good of Arthur?"

"No," admitted Merlin. "She wants to avenge her father's death, but she would not harm Arthur to get her way."

"And that is where you are wrong, young warlock," said the Dragon. "Think of how much better her vengeance would be if she could get Uther to kill his own son; then when she finally does strike him down she could tell him the whole true. Death would seem like a mercy by comparison; for all of Uther's faults, he does love his son."

"No, you're wrong!" said Merlin in a voice that was half filled with desperation. "Morgana would never do that!"

"For such a powerful warlock, you certainly do lack intelligence," said the Dragon in an amused voice. "Tell me, who do you think would benefit the most from Arthur's downfall?"

"Since I'm so stupid, why don't you tell me?" asked Merlin in a sullen tone.

"The Lady Morgana has sat at the King's side for years, acting as his beloved ward. Uther loves her like a daughter; who do you think he'll name his successor after Arthur is gone?"

"Morgana doesn't want the throne, she-" began Merlin, but he was cut off by the Dragon's laugh.

"She's always coveted Arthur's position, you saw how she was when she was ruled in his place. She desires the throne above all else," said the Dragon in a harsh voice. "She is using you to get what she wants; you are just a means to an end."

"Stop it, I know that is not true, I know who she is and nothing you say will change that fact," shouted Merlin.

"Believe what you want, young warlock," said the Dragon with a sigh. "But you will see in the end that I was right; I pray that you realise the truth before it is too late."

Merlin spun around angrily and turned to leave. But the seeds of doubt had been sown in his mind. The Dragon was a neutral force; he had no reason to hate Morgana. Why would it try to turn him against her unless his words had some truth to them? He ignored those thoughts; if she was trying to kill Arthur, then Merlin would be powerless to stop her. Still, he could not simply rely on her to get Arthur out of this mess alive; he would have to go to her to make sure that this time, he would be included in all her plans.

* * *

><p>Morgana paced around her chambers as she tried to think of some excuse she could use to save Arthur from his own stupidity. She doubted she could appeal to Uther's sense of mercy; the man probably didn't even understand the meaning of the word. Still, if she could rally enough support amongst the lords, even Uther would have to relent; his control over the various parts of the kingdom depended on the lords and the men they have to maintain order throughout the realm. The only problem was that she did not see why they would plead for Arthur's life; no doubt they would enjoy vying for throne. In fact, she guessed that the man who married her would be the one most likely to be named the successor to the throne. It was yet another reason to keep Arthur alive.<p>

Without warning, someone burst into her room and for a moment she panicked, she thought that Arthur had betrayed her to Uther, or that one of the guards had somehow lived. She drew upon her newly found powers, and prepared to unleash them, only to realise that it was Merlin. The man really needed to learn when it was a good time to meet with her; these visits had miraculously stayed unnoticed so far, but it only took one nosy servant to start the deadly rumours that would eventually reach the King's ears.

"In case you did not notice, I'm busy and I do not wish to be disturbed; Gwen, please escort Arthur's manservant back to his chambers," said Morgana in an exasperated voice.

"So is this how it is?" asked Merlin with suppressed anger in his voice. "You use me, but when you have no need of me you just cast me aside like some unwanted piece of meat?"

Morgana looked into his eyes and saw a look of mistrust that had not been there before. It seemed that her actions had made the manservant less naive. For a moment, she felt a pang of regret that she had betrayed his trust. However she quickly brushed that thought aside; he was the one who made her see that Camelot's army had to be saved, and she had done it. If saving ten thousand lives meant that she had to destroy Merlin's childish naivety, so be it.

"Gwen, go stand watch and make sure nobody comes," said Morgana as she motioned for her maid to leave.

"But milady," said Gwen hesitantly. "What will I say if someone does arrive?"

"If they don't seem aware of Merlin's presence, knock on the door and I will hide him," commanded Morgana. "If they do know he's here, tell the guards to that I order them to come in and arrest the intruder."

"But they'll kill him milady!" said Gwen with a look of horror in her eyes.

"They'll throw him into the dungeons for a few days, but ultimately they'll simply believe that he got lost," said Morgana with a light laugh. "One word of forgiveness from me and they'll spare him. Of course, I could also have him killed, if I wished..."

"And do you want him dead?" asked Gwen in a worried voice. Her maid was such a sweet soul, but she could be rather dull at times.

"If I did want him dead, I could just call the guards in right now," said Morgana pointedly. "As you can see, I have not done so; now go and do as I asked."

As her maid left the chambers, she turned her gaze back to Merlin. The rage was still present in him, but it was dulled somewhat with what seemed like fear. Perhaps the boy was learning after all.

"You shouldn't treat Gwen so harshly," said Merlin. "Have you ever wondered if you should just tell somebody the truth for once? I think she'd understand."

"Do you really think Gwen would have the stomach to help me?" said Morgana with a sad smile. "I do what is necessary, but I don't think she would see it that way."

"You don't trust anyone, do you?" said Merlin with a shake of his head.

"No, but my Father trusted Uther," said Morgana. "And look where that got him."

"Well I want you to trust me now," said Merlin fiercely. "You didn't tell me what you were really planning, and now look where that has gotten us!"

"As usual Merlin, you fail to see the bigger picture," said Morgana as she sat down at her desk and took a sip from a goblet of wine. It gave her an air decadency, and she wanted Merlin to believe that she was still in complete control of the situation. "I saved Camelot's army without losing a single life in the process, unless you count that of the ravens'."

"So you're going to let Arthur die, just like that," said Merlin accusingly.

"I have no intention of letting Arthur die," said Morgana in a relaxed voice. "I'll find same way to bring the lords under my heel, then I will force them to plead for Arthur's life. Even Uther can't deny all of them at once."

Before Merlin could say anything, a frantic knock came in from outside. Morgana reacted instantly, shoving Merlin into her closet and closed the door just in time as Uther himself entered her chambers. She felt a stab of fear in her heart as he walked across the room towards her. Did he know what she had done?

"Your Grace," said Morgana as she bowed before the king. Whatever Uther planned to do, she would simply have to play along for now.

"Morgana," greeted Uther as he pulled out a chair for himself and sat down. "Please, have a seat. I have come to you as your guardian, not your king."

"As you wish," said Morgana as she sat down; perhaps it would be wise to smile and simper before the king like so many of the lords did, but she could not bring herself to do it. When she looked at him, all she saw was the traitor who had murdered her father.

"You don't seem very pleased with me," said Uther with a raised eyebrow as he poured out some wine for himself. "May I ask why?"

"I just think you've treated Arthur rather harshly," said Morgana quickly; it was the first thing that came to her mind, and it was the truth, just not the whole truth.

"I don't want to hear another word about that traitor," said Uther, his voice hardening as he did so. "He chose his own path, and now he must pay the price."

"Of course, Your Grace," said Morgana coldly. "But still I fail to see why you came to see me."

For some unknown reason, a veil of sadness seemed to come over Uther for a second. Had she somehow hurt him with her words?

"You have lived with me for many years, and yet we never had much opportunity to talk to each other in private," said Uther with a sigh. "Before I left, I had thought you to be just another woman, someone who was too kind for her own good. But I see there is more of your father in you than I had previously believed."

"I don't understand," said Morgana as she tried to hide her fear. Did he know what she had done? Did he already have guards waiting outside the door, to seize and put her before the executioner's block like so many others before her?

"There is no need to play coy with me Morgana," said Uther with a chuckle. "I have ears in the city, and they told me what you did to Adalmund."

"I believe it was Arthur who swung the axe that killed him, Your Grace," said Morgana in the most innocent voice she could summon. It also served to hide the relief that she felt; it appeared that Uther did not know of her secrets after all.

"True, but it was you who condemned him to death before the court," said Uther with a smile. "He was always an arrogant bastard; the world is a better place without him."

"If you didn't like him, why did you let him live?" inquired Morgana.

"He had his uses, but he crossed the line when he tried to use the crown for his own gain," said Uther dismissively. "I'm glad you were able to make an example of him. Unlike Arthur, you appear to have the ability to rule."

"I don't know where you're going with this, Your Grace," said Morgana quietly. She had an idea of course, but surely Uther wouldn't... it was unheard of!

"I have disowned my only son; I have no other heirs," said Uther with a sigh. "The lords will tear the kingdom apart to gain my favour in the hopes of being named my successor. I intend to stop them by making you the heir to my throne."

"Your Grace, I..." said Morgana, her shock evident in her voice; surely this had to be a trap of some kind. "Why would you name me your heir?"

"You have shown an exceptional ability to govern the lords; moreover, you are the daughter of the man who many believe to be the one who truly conquered this kingdom," said Uther. "The masses love you for your heritage, and the lords respect you. I can think of no better person for this honour."

"I will accept, Your Grace," said Morgana as she struggled to control her thoughts. She had another chance to make everything right again, and this time it was the honourable path to take; not even Merlin with his idiotic moralities would be able to see fault with her logic. "On one condition; you will spare Arthur if you want me to claim his place."

"Many would kill to gain what you have been given today," said Uther curiously. "Why do you wish to save Arthur? He is a traitor to the realm, and will die a traitor's death."

"If I take Arthur's place right before you kill him, what will the people think?" asked Morgana. "The common folk love him; they would never accept me if they thought I gained my place through his death. Moreover, I have grown fond of him over the years; he is like a brother to me, and I do not wish to see him come to harm."

"Those are compelling reasons, and I understand your attachment to him; Arthur seems to have a way of inspiring loyalty of those around him," admitted Uther. "Very well, I will allow him to live, but I will strip him of all his titles and ranks. He will be reduced to nothing and he can live among those peasants who respect him so much."

"I have a better idea," said Morgana with a gleam in her eyes. While she had not intended for this to happen, it appears that her current situation was becoming far less grim with each passing moment. Indeed, this might work out even better than she had originally planned. "Let him his position as a prince, but he will be a prince in name only, he will have no real power. This way the lords will not be able to use him as a rallying cry should they ever try to rebel against the crown."

"I see you have already thought about this," said Uther with a smile. "Very well, I will accept. And even I doubted that Arthur would be capable of plotting against me; like he said, he just feared for the lives of Cenred's people. He was always too soft for his own good."

"If you believed that, why would you want to kill him in the first place?" asked Morgana.

"It was a test," said Uther with a mysterious smile. "I never intended to kill him, but I wanted to see if you wished for his death. However your words have proven me wrong. It appears that it was Arthur who came up with the idea of sending that letter on his own after all."

'Of course,' thought Morgana to herself. 'Uther is not stupid; this was a disguised interrogation to see if I wanted the throne. If I did not say those words, I would probably not leave this conversation alive.'

"Your Grace, if I may I would like to ask you a question," said Morgana politely. "If I had accepted your offer and asked you to execute Arthur as soon as possible, what would you have done?"

"Some questions are best left unanswered," said Uther after a brief moment of hesitation. "Suffice to say that I have guards outside the door. But let us not speak of such unpleasant matters; present yourself to the court at this time tomorrow, and I will proclaim you my heir."

"So that part was not a test?" asked Morgana as she widened her eyes again. "Why would you give me such a position?"

"You may not believe it Morgana, but I have always loved you like a daughter," said Uther with an air of sadness, as if he was somehow holding something back. "For too long I have ignored your strengths; if you had been my son, I would have named you crown prince long before this day. I am only giving you what you have earned a hundred times over."

"Thank you, Your Grace," said Morgana hesitantly. Could she really have gained the throne of Camelot without even trying? And did she even want such a position? Before she could always hide behind Arthur's name while she commanded the lords; now every order she gave would be in her own name; could she make the kingdom respect her as they did Uther? However, she knew that one thing was certain; she could use her new found position to give her father the justice he deserved. One day, Uther Pendragon would know exactly how big a mistake he had just made.

"I must leave now," said Uther as he stood up to leave. "There are other matters of state that I must attend to, and little time in which to do it. Despite his faults, Arthur did manage to kill that Gryphon, and I have many peasants to reallocate to the villages that the beast destroyed."

"I heard that it was Ser Lancelot who killed the beast, not Arthur," said Morgana with a smile.

"I had not heard that news," said Uther with surprise. "It seems that Lord Eldred's son is more capable than Arthur himself. I recently received a letter from Lord Eldred concerning Ser Lancelot; it appears that his mysterious fifth son had always been more interested in swordplay rather than politics. Perhaps that is why I have never heard of him."

"Perhaps you should name him Arthur's commander then," said Morgana with a gleam in her eyes. "If he cannot serve as a prince, then the least he can do for Camelot is to become a better warrior. I'm sure it'll keep him occupied as well."

"I will consider it," said Uther as he walked out of the doorway. "I will see you at court tomorrow; the tailors will send over a suitable dress for the occasion by tonight."

As the King left, Morgana breathed a sigh of relief. As she collected her thoughts, she finally remembered that Merlin had been stuck in the cupboard for the duration of the conversation; no doubt he had overheard every word. She quickly went over to the closet and opened the carved wooden doors.

"I hope you didn't suffocate in there," said Morgana as the manservant stepped out of the cramped space. "And your worries were unfounded; it appears that our dear King never wanted Arthur dead after all."

"Did you plan for all of this?" asked Merlin quietly. It seemed that his mistrust of her had only grown after the conversation she had with Uther. "Please Morgana, I just need the truth, just this once."

"How can one plan for a miracle?" said Morgana with a slight edge to her voice. In truth, she was hurt by Merlin's accusations, but she would be damned before she let him know. "All I know is that everything seems to be correcting itself. Do you not believe me?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore," said Merlin quietly. With that, he left the room as quickly as he had arrived, leaving Morgana to ponder his sudden change. Someone had obviously tried to turn his mind against her. She just could not think of why anyone who would want to do such a thing... unless they knew both Merlin's secret, and her own.

There was only one explanation; she had an enemy in Camelot who knew of her powers.

* * *

><p>"My lords," said Uther as he addressed the court. "In recent days we have gone though some of the most turbulent times we have faced since I took this city. Because of my son's betrayal, I have no heir to speak of. But today I will assuage your fears; Camelot will have an heir again, and the line of succession will remain unbroken."<p>

As he said this, the great metal gates slowly opened and Morgana strode into the room, clad in a silken dark purple dress embroidered with elaborate white designs. To Merlin it seemed that the dress was made of an ethereal material, flowing around her like a tempest unleashed; it radiated power and importance, but even it came second to Morgana's commanding presence. The lords gasped as they saw Morgana walk up till she reached the throne where Arthur once occupied, and where Geoffrey of Monmouth waited with a crown that seemed to be made of solid gold with a dark red ruby embedded in the centre. It was a strange thing, two golden bands that intertwined with each other to form a complex but beautiful pattern; it was certainly not the same as the dull crown that Arthur wore on formal occasions.

"By the power invested in me, I name thee, Morgana, daughter of Lord Gorlois, commander of the seven legions and heir to the throne of Camelot," intoned Geoffrey as Morgana knelt before Uther. He slowly placed the crown on her, looking a little shaken as he did so.

"This is unprecedented!" cried one of the more foolish lords; he had obviously not thought about his words before he had uttered them.

"Do you question my decision?" said Uther calmly, but the threat behind his words were clear, even to Merlin.

"No, Your Grace," said the lord hastily. "I only wish to inquire after the fate of Arthur."

"_Prince _Arthur," said Morgana with a smile. She turned to address the guards. "Bring him in please, the King wishes to speak to him."

The gates to the throne room opened once more, and the guards dragged in Arthur, who seemed unharmed, but somehow broken at the same time.

"Arthur Pendragon," said Uther gravely as he addressed his only son. "Through your actions, you have jeopardised the safety of Camelot and its people. This is treason, a crime punishable by death."

"I am sorry Father," said Arthur as he gazed up at Uther. Merlin admired Arthur's courage; few men would stare death in the eye in his final moments. "Do what you must."

"My ward and heir has pleaded for your case. You did not fully understand the nature of your actions; you acted impulsively and foolishly, qualities that are not behoving of a Prince," said Uther with disdain. "But despite the fact that your men tried to rescue you by killing the guards I have posted, you retained your honour and remained in your cell. Because of this, and because the Lady Morgana has pleaded for your case, I shall show you mercy. From this day onwards, I strip you of all your titles, you are not a knight, nor shall you command men till you have earned the right again. But yet you are still my son, and you will remain a Prince."

"Thank you Father," said Arthur in what seemed like a gracious voice.

"You should thank your Princess," said Uther stonily. "If not for her, I would have had you exiled from my kingdom. Rise."

As Arthur rose from his feet, Merlin saw a smile on Morgana's face; it remained only for a single moment in time, before she reverted to her expressionless demeanour. In that moment, his mind floated back to the words of warning the Dragon had given him: _She desires the throne above all else._

With that one smile, Merlin knew that the Dragon's words had some truth in them; she desired power, but only to make things right. But Merlin had seen how power corrupted; in spite of all the terrible deeds Uther had committed, even the king believed that he had the best intentions. In that moment, Merlin vowed that he would protect Morgana from suffering the same fate, no matter the price he would have to pay.

* * *

><p>"You have failed me," said Cenred with a snarl. "Your Gryphon was meant to force Uther to mobilize his army in order to hunt the creature down. They were supposed to be trapped in this very spot by your creation; and yet I see no signs of any men apart from my own."<p>

Morgause, daughter of Vivienne and one of the most powerful Magus of this age, glanced unconcernedly at the King. He could rage and threaten her all he liked, but he would never be able to harm her; she knew who really held the power here.

"Did you think that I was the only one with the gift of magic in this world?" said Morgause in an unconcerned tone. "Someone has destroyed the Gryphon, and somehow convinced Uther to retreat at the same time."

"So Uther did gather his men?" asked Cenred suspiciously. "How do I know this isn't a lie to appease?"

"I'm sure your spies in Camelot will report back soon enough, but as usual their information will be far too late to be of any use," said Morgause in a contemptuous voice. "Mine however are extremely reliable. If for now, you do not believe me then know this: I have no need to appease you in any way."

"So who is this new enemy who foiled our plans?" asked Cenred as he settled back down into his throne.

"I do not know," admitted Morgause. "Whoever he or she may be must be extremely powerful, but I am sure that they will be no match for both me and my mistress."

"So you do plan on doing something about it," said Cenred, a smile forming on his face again.

"I promised you Camelot, and I will give it to you," said Morgause. "Whoever this other Magus is, we will find him or her; surely they will see the benefit in joining our cause."

"And if this Magus does not wish to join us?" asked Cenred curiously.

"Then I will end the one who dares side with Camelot against their own kin," said Morgause with conviction. "Anyone who serves Uther Pendragon or his family, is my enemy."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I'm trying to make it a habit to end on cliffies rather than nicely rounded endings; I found that always makes things more interesting. By the way, did anyone manage to guess the results of Morgana's scheme here? And I hope Morgana's full plot is now clear to everyone; as you can see, things did not quite turn out as planned, but that doesn't necessarily mean it has to end badly.

P.S To Rya3SaberVltar, your review gave me the idea for the final scene. I meant to leave that for later, but I thought it would be something interesting to end on and change up our timelines a bit. Besides, I'm sure you're all curious as to the true purpose of the Gryphon.

I know I said it once already, but I really do love reviews, so I'd really appreciate it if you could spare a moment of your time and leave me one. Thank you.


	12. Dragon's Peril I: Infiltration

**Chapter 12: Dragon's Peril I - Infiltration**

**Author's Note: **I know, it's a late update but this chapter was particularly hard to write; setup chapters generally need a lot more thought. As usual, I thank you all the awesome reviews that I got for my last chapter! This chapter probably wouldn't have the same form if I didn't get them (and would have taken even longer to write!)

Onto the chapter proper.

* * *

><p>Morgause paced around Cenred's throne as she waited for him to respond to her proposal. He was a vain man, with an overinflated sense of self-importance. Of course, that only made him easier to use for her own purposes; he was susceptible to using the ideas of others to advance his own goals; he may be intelligent, but his greed often made him blind to his own dangers. The throne room itself was decorated in a matter that reflected Cenred's own personality; the skulls of slain dragons lined walls. Yet none of these great beasts had been slain by Cenred himself; he merely scavenged the bones from the battlefield where Uther's sorcerers had left them.<p>

"So you want me to write a peace treaty to Uther," said Cenred in an amused voice. "How exactly does that benefit us?"

"I believed I explained myself very clearly," said Morgause with undisguised contempt. "Someone with magic is aiding Uther in Camelot; I do not know why. Perhaps Uther has some hold over him or her, or perhaps they just feared for their own life if Camelot fell to the Gryphon."

"Ever consider the possibility that one of your own kin has sided with Uther of their own free will?" said Cenred with a cocky smile on his face.

"Oh that's very likely," said Morgana sarcastically. "The last time Uther had sorcerers serving under him of their own free will, he literally had all their throats slit in the night. I doubt he'd allow anyone with magic to run around on a free leash in his own kingdom."

"So you wish to become my ambassador so you can get into Camelot and uncover the identity of this other Magus?" asked Cenred.

"Congratulations, Your Grace," said Morgause as she mockingly bowed before the king. "I believe you have managed to rephrase my words as a question."

"You have no right to talk to our king in this manner," cried one of Cenred's guardsman angrily. "Learn your place, witch, or I will-"

Before he could say anything more, Morgause stilled her mind and reached out towards the man's emotions. She blasted all except fear into oblivion. To him it would probably be like having someone tear away a part of his own mind, turning him from a soldier into a coward in a blink of an eye.

"Hold your tongue, peasant," said Morgause threateningly. "Or I will tear it out."

"Yes milady," said the man, his body trembling as he did so. Impressively, the man had managed to stop himself from soiling his clothes. It appeared that some of his foolhardy courage was returning already.

"Stop tormenting the poor boy," said Cenred with a laugh. "And did I ever mention how beautiful you look when you're angry?"

"Is that why you keep aggravating me?" asked Morgause with exasperation.

"That is one reason why," said Cenred mysteriously. "But back to the matter at hand; I will allow your request; you may serve as my ambassador to Camelot. If however, you do come back and somehow secure peace, I will show you no mercy."

"Do you really think I would make peace with that butcher?" said Morgause scathingly.

"Of course not," said Cenred as he took a sip of wine from his goblet. "That's the only reason I'm sending you."

* * *

><p>Arthur puffed heavily as he moved in to counter Lancelot's blow under the scorching heat of the midday sun; beads of sweat interfered with his vision beneath his helmet. In this weather, it seemed like the suit was cooking him alive; he swore that he could probably fry an egg if he put it on his armour. With a final lunge, Arthur desperately tried to land a finishing blow, but the other man was wearing some simple leather pads instead of a full suit of armour; he easily dodged the blow and delivered a fatal strike to his neck with a single swipe of his blunted blade, knocking the golden haired man to the ground.<p>

"You fought quite well, considering that you were in that thing in this weather," remarked Lancelot as he sheathed his sword and held out a hand to Arthur. The prince grudgingly accepted the help and got back to feet, his heart still pounding at a frantic pace.

"Is it just me, or has everyone gotten better in the past few days?" asked Arthur in a curious voice.

"Would you like me to speak honestly?" asked Lancelot in return. "The truth might hurt your ego."

Arthur raised his eyebrow at this comment but he did not reply. It seemed that everyone treated him with far less respect now that his father has stripped him of his titles, but he found it rather refreshing at the same time.

"I always appreciate honesty, Lancelot," said Arthur. "Gods know that is too rare in this city."

"Firstly, that's _Ser_ Lancelot," said Lancelot with a smile. "Your father had ordered me to take you as a squire; therefore you have to call me by my proper title, sire."

"I wouldn't have expected you to be the type to be a stickler for titles, but as you wish, Ser Lancelot," said Arthur in an exasperated tone.

"Well the truth of the matter is that most of the men were always more proficient than they appeared to be," explained Lancelot. "But before, you were their prince and their commander; perhaps they were afraid that you would punish them if they defeated you. Now that your father has stripped you of your command, we feel more comfortable showing you what we're really capable of."

Arthur didn't respond to this statement; although his outward expression was one of utter calm, he was hurt by Lancelot's words. Could his men believed that he would be petty enough to punish them if they did defeat him? Now the truth was finally out; not only did his men believe that he was a pretentious man, they could also defeat him in combat as well. Morgana was wrong; not only did he not command respect among the lords, he did not command the respect of his men either.

"You're a good friend Lancelot," said Arthur quietly. "You're the only one who doesn't hide anything from me."

"Sire, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself," said Lancelot with a slight edge of concern in his voice. "After all, you are still the best swordsman among us. What this means is that you just weren't invincible, as you have previously believed."

"The best swordsman?" said Arthur tiredly. "If I were the best, how did you just defeat me?"

"I had the advantage from the very start; your armour is cumbersome at the best of times, and in this weather it is like a death trap," explained Lancelot. "Understanding your enemy is the key to winning any battle."

"Those are wise words," said Arthur thoughtfully. "Let us train again, but this time I'll wear the leather armour you favour so much as well."

"I think you need to rest a little first sire," said Lancelot. "It will not help if you push yourself too hard."

"If you want to rest yourself, you could just say so," said Arthur with a laugh. "Merlin, fetch us some water!"

Merlin moved over to him with a cocky smile on his face; he had been watching the fight from the sidelines and no doubt enjoyed the way how he had been so embarrassingly defeated. Arthur wished he could challenge his manservant to a duel just to wipe that smile from his face, but unfortunately the men would probably not view that act as particularly honourable.

"Arthur, your father has stripped you of your command," said his manservant in a rather insolent voice. "Does that mean I no longer have to obey your orders?"

"Merlin, in case your rather large ears haven't been working properly, I would like to tell you that I am still a prince," said Arthur in a smug voice. "And my father still sees the need to give me a manservant. So, go fetch my water."

"Only if you say please," said Merlin, who was still undeterred by his words. What was the world coming to? Now even his manservant was being discourteous; well at least this was one thing he could repair.

"Very well Merlin," said Arthur with a twinkle in his eyes. "Please fetch me the water; oh and after you've done that, I want you to please clean up the stables as well."

He only felt a small pang of regret as his manservant cast him a hurt look before going on to carry his task. Perhaps he should not be so harsh on the boy, but he had been the one who convinced him to write that letter in the first place; if only he had not followed his advice...

'No,' thought Arthur to himself as he crushed those selfish thoughts. 'Merlin gave you good advice; if you did not send that letter, thousands might already lie dead at this very moment.'

In the end, there was only one man he could blame. And that man was his father.

* * *

><p>Morgana was trying her best to stay alert as the lords of the court plied her with their inane requests. Uther had left this particular court meeting to her while he went out to inspect his troops; he may even be preparing them for the defence of Camelot. After all, they had almost entered into open war mere days ago, and yet everyone acted as if nothing had happened. Surely even Cenred would have realised by now what Uther had planned; one does not march an army right to his borders without reason. They should be focused on securing peace between the two kingdoms; Cenred may have taken Uther's unprovoked march as a show of military might, and may retaliate in order to show his superiority.<p>

Suddenly, a messenger burst into the halls, panting heavily as he did so; apparently he wanted to reach the throne room before someone else.

"Your highness," said the man between gasps of air. "I'm sorry for the interruption, but an ambassador bearing Essetir's standard has come-"

As footsteps sounded in the hallway outside, the manservant lost his voice, as if he was too afraid to continue with his statement. Morgana was curious as to who or what could inspire such fear; what had she done to this poor man?

"To treat with your king," finished a golden haired woman as she emerged from the gates and stepped into the throne room. She was clad in mail, with a sword hanging loosely from her side; Morgana had no doubt that this mysterious woman knew how to use the blade. Murmurs arose from the members of court; they probably couldn't believe that a King would send a woman to treat with Uther.

"I am the Lady Morgause, and I speak for King Cenred. I must say that I had expected a warmer welcome," said Morgause in a commanding voice.

"Has Cenred sent another lapdog to make his idle threats again?" asked Morgana smoothly. "Perhaps we would have been more inviting if you had announced your visit."

"I am sorry, but perhaps you misheard me; I said I came here to treat with your _King_, not some girl barely old enough to speak without her father's permission," replied Morgause in a mocking voice.

Morgana smiled coldly as she stood up from her throne; this woman has barged into her court and insulted her before every single lord present. She would not, and could not allow this to stand. She took one step forwards and leaned in close to gaze directly into the other woman's eyes. There was pride in them, and therein lay her fall.

With a single strike, she pulled out her dagger and lashed out with the hilt of the blade, secretly augmenting her blow with her magic. The forces of the earth came easily; she knew exactly what she intended to do. The blow sent the other woman reeling backwards in a daze; she had obviously not expected herself to be hit. It was impulsive, but she had to show her court that she would not stand for such an insult. Perhaps it would have been better to call on the guards, but that would have seemed weak; the guards were loyal to Uther, not her. She wanted all the lords to see that her strengths did not come from Uther.

"While the King is gone, I am Camelot; it would be unwise to speak out against me. The next time you do, will the last time you have a tongue with which to speak," said Morgana in a calm voice that belied her intent.

"I see that you do have some fire in you; perhaps I can treat with you," said Morgause after a moment's hesitation. To Morgana's surprise, there was a flicker of respect in the other woman's eyes, rather than the hatred or submission she had expected.

"Then tell me, why had Cenred sent you," said Morgana as she retook her place on the throne; she could see from her position that some lords were shocked by her actions; no doubt that they didn't think physically attacking the ambassador of another kingdom was a good idea. Once, she would have thought the same, but perhaps Arthur had rubbed off on her more than she realised.

"King Cenred has proposed an alliance between our two kingdoms; combined we have the most powerful military force in all of Albion," said Morgause in a matter of fact way.

As she did so, Morgana felt a scratching noise at the back of her mind, and she suddenly seemed to become a little more relaxed. With a shock, she realised this had to be the work of magic; the woman was trying to affect her very thoughts. She felt a stab of fear pierce her heart; did the other woman know that she was a sorceress? If she could detect the use of magic, could other sorceresses not do the same to her?

She tried to ignore those worrying thoughts, she could not take back what she had done, but perhaps she could correct it. First however, she needed to buy more time and find some way to learn more about this mysterious woman; perhaps they had a common goal in mind. After all, Cenred had no love for Uther, and sending a sorceress to act as his ambassador only proved that he had an ulterior motive.

"Is that so?" asked Morgana with a raised eyebrow. "I always thought that Cenred's purpose was to destroy us so that he would command the greatest force in Albion; the man has a desire to be King over all."

"His Grace has changed his views over the years," replied Morgause. "Only together can we united this fractured land."

"Perhaps we can discuss the terms of his surrender tomorrow," said Morgana with a smile. "But for now, you must be tired; Guards, escort her to the guest chambers, and make sure that her entourage is treated well."

"One last thing my lady," said Morgause. Morgana could tell that this woman was intensely curious about her; no doubt she had expected to meet with Uther instead. "I would like to know your name."

"I am the Lady Morgana, daughter of Lord Gorlois and the Lady Vivienne," said Morgana carefully as she watched the other woman's reaction; it was one of both shock and recognition at the same time. This was a most curious development. "And heir to the throne of Camelot."

* * *

><p>Morgause marched through the halls of Camelot's castle, trying observe every detail around her. One day she may need to storm the castle, and any knowledge she gained now may save her life in the future. Her mind was still elsewhere however; she had a sister and she was Uther's heir; how was one supposed to think clearly with such a revelation? The guards her sister had assigned quickly led her to her chambers and barred the doors shut, leaving only her 'maid' in the well furnished room. It was ironic that her sister was trying to keep her under control; imprisoning 'guests' in a gilded cage like this was a tactic she had often used herself.<p>

"It must come as a shock to learn that your sister sits on Uther's throne," said Nimueh with a knowing smile. She had come to Camelot as her maid not to help her investigation, but for her own purpose. Morgause knew better than to pry; her friend and mentor liked to keep her own secrets until she deigned to give them away.

"I didn't even know I had a sister," said Morgause with a hint of anger. "You should have told me about her before we came here."

"I did not see the need to tell you," replied Nimueh unconcernedly. "At any rate, this does not change our goals; she is no ally of ours."

"Perhaps not," admitted Morgause. "But how did she become the heir to Camelot? I thought Uther's son, Arthur Pendragon, held that title."

"She's your sister," said Nimueh simply. "Would you be content to sit beside an aging king like some decoration?"

"No, but I doubt that I could have usurped the place of the King's own son by myself," said Morgause. "There has to be someone aiding her; we need to investigate her motives, find out who her allies are, and see whether she stands with Uther or not."

"She has great ambitions; she would never have taken Arthur's place if she did not," said Nimueh with a smile. "I think she bears no love for Uther herself; after all, he's the only one standing between her and the throne."

"Are you saying that I should try to convince her to plot against the king," asked Morgause thoughtfully.

"No, I want you to convince her to kill the king," finished Nimueh. "Become her friend, earn her trust, and you will find that our goal will not seem so out of reach after all."

* * *

><p>Morgana wanted nothing more than to return to her chambers for some well deserved rest; the day's events had drained her and she needed time to think. However, these secret meetings with Merlin were essential; her powers were growing and there was so much she still did not understand. Perhaps if she could fully master them, she could become a real Queen, someone who could stand on her own without the aid of any man. Someone who's power was not an illusion.<p>

Today Cenred's ambassador, Morgause, had used magic against her; she almost succeeded in lowering her guard with a single thought. If she had that power, then surely there would be none who would act against her. She had heard other stories as well, tales of a sorcerer king who ruled for centuries on end. Unfortunately, almost no records remained from that time; it had become nothing more than a story to frighten children. Merlin's power and knowledge could be the key to maintain a lasting peace throughout the realm, and perhaps finally uniting all of Albion under her banner.

She dismissed her idle thoughts as she heard the sound of footsteps approach, and turned to greet Merlin. She noticed that his clothes were caked in dirt and other unspeakable filth. She had no idea why the warlock would willingly suffer his miserable existence; did he not want a better existence for himself?

"I see Arthur made you clean up the stables again," remarked Morgana. "Perhaps you could have done me the courtesy of cleaning up yourself before you came to me?"

"If her royal highness commands me, I could always just return to my chambers and take a bath; nothing would please me more," said Merlin in a petulant voice.

"Merlin, you really are an enigma, aren't you?" asked Morgana in a carefree voice. "You have the world at your command with a single thought, and yet you settle for being Arthur's personal slave."

"I am not a slave," said Merlin quickly, although a flash of doubt passed his eyes as he said the words.

"I guess you do get paid what, a few coppers a day?" said Morgana with a smile as she made herself comfortable on her chair. "Come now Merlin, you and I know that you could be so much more..."

"Where exactly is this going Morgana?" asked Merlin in a cautious voice. "Because this sounds like you're trying to make me do something again; I haven't forgotten what happened last time I followed you advice."

"Arthur still lives, your village is safe and Camelot's army remains intact; you have no reason to distrust me," said Morgana in a hostile voice. "In fact, you should be thanking me; I gave up my own personal goals to do as you ask. Every day Uther remains alive is like a poison in a wound."

Merlin did not immediately respond to her; it seemed that he had some internal dilemma that he wasn't sharing. Whatever it was, something had come between them, and for reasons inexplicable, it somehow saddened her; why did she even care about Merlin's opinion?

"I... I just don't think you're ready to be Queen," said Merlin at last. "I fear what the responsibility and the burden of the throne would do to you."

"Perhaps you should just teach me what magic you know, and leave the matters of rule to me," said Morgana as she hardened her voice. She did not need his pity or his concern; the crown she wore may weigh heavily on her head, but it was a burden that she chose. "Who would you rather wear my crown? Arthur?"

"Maybe we could continue practicing the telekinetic spells," began Merlin; he was obviously uncomfortable with the subject that he had bought up.

"Did you know that Cenred has sent a sorceress here to be his 'ambassador?" asked Morgana as she cut Merlin off.

"A sorceress?" said Merlin with a hint of fear in his voice. "Morgana, we need to be careful; if we tried to use magic on her, she may realise what it is!"

"A bit too late for that warning," said Morgana. "I already used my powers on her; that was before I knew that she was a sorceress."

"Morgana, that was probably the last thing you should have done," said Merlin frantically. "Does she know about your powers?"

"Perhaps I was being foolish and impulsive, but the past cannot be changed. No point worrying about it now." replied Morgana.

"I'm guessing that you didn't bring this up for no particular reason," said Merlin with a sigh. "So, what do you want me to do this time?"

"I learned that she was a sorceress because she tried to twist my mind," said Morgana without answering his question. "Tell me, what can she do with this power?"

"Well she can manipulate others subtly by strengthening certain emotions by a little and dulling others," said Merlin thoughtfully. "But if she pushed too hard, the person being targeted by the spell will know, as you did."

"I'm guessing that it is not possible to completely overpower one's mind and simply take control," said Morgana as she relaxed. "After all, the world would be ruled by sorcerers if that was the case."

"Well one can make a man insane," said Merlin. "But only if they were weak minded in the first place; if you strengthen every emotion a person feels..."

"Weak minded?" said Morgana with a smile. "Then I have no reason to worry; Arthur however is a different story, if she gets her hands on him..."

"You give him too little credit," said Merlin in a confident voice. "He's a better man than you think."

"Oh I have no doubt that he's a better man than me," said Morgana with a sad smile. "But he is rather dull; what if someone uses magic to inflame his passions?"

"What might those be?" questioned Merlin.

"I don't know what goes on behind Arthur's thick skull, but perhaps he wants what's was once his?" speculated Morgana. "If I were him, I would want the throne back; would someone be able to manipulate him into going to war against the kingdom?"

"You're the one who tried to force him into civil war; why don't you tell me how that went?" retorted Merlin in a slightly angry voice. Morgana really did not understand why Merlin was so loyal to Arthur. He may be like a brother to her, but he was always a pompous brat. Why anyone would want to serve him was beyond her.

"Very well, I'll take you at your word," said Morgana at last. "But I want you to teach me this power."

"And what are you going to do with it?" said Merlin suspiciously.

Morgana gave him a knowing look, but turned away before the warlock could see the intent in her eyes; the man had managed to peer into her soul before; she could not allow that to happen again.

"I intend to use it for the good of the realm," said Morgana at last. It was the truth, just not the whole truth.

* * *

><p>King Uther Pendragon was clad in shining golden armour, riding on a pitch black stallion as he rode throughout the camps with his son at his side; no doubt he was wondering why he had been taken on the parade. Officially he was on an inspection of the camps, but in truth he wanted to test the loyalty of his men. As they passed the common soldiers, he saw that many did not bow towards him, but to his son instead. His anger threatened to overwhelm him, and he barely managed to keep control. He was their king, but no man had ever shown him the love s they did to Arthur now. He had proven himself in countless wars long ago, and Arthur had never fought in a single battle. He deserved their loyalty and reverence, but they had not given it to him.<p>

"Your Grace," said one particularly brave soldier. "Please, I beg you to reconsider your position on the Prince. He is your son, and he deserves to be our king one day."

"I understand your concern," said Uther as he forced a smile. "But Arthur has committed treason against the realm; I have already shown him great mercy by letting him live."

"The Prince deserves another chance, Your Grace," said the man. "Did he not surrender the castle to you when he could have tried to defy you and seize the throne for himself?"

The whole camp seemed to have fallen silent, save for the faint murmurs of agreement from the gathered crowd. The King had expected his words to satisfy the man, but instead it only seemed to encourage his insolence; it was almost like giving a beggar a coin; a fruitless endeavour, for they would never be able to earn for their own keep if you gave them what they needed. Uther steeled himself for what had to be done; this was a spark of rebellion brewing before his very eyes, and he would have to snuff it out before it caught fire.

"What say you Arthur?" asked Uther in a calm voice. "What do you think of your current situation?"

"I do not want the throne," said Arthur simply. "I was always loyal to you father, and I am sorry for my actions."

"Then I wish for you to prove your loyalty," said Uther in a stern voice. "I want you to kill the man who spoke out against me."

The king motioned to his personal guards, all high born knights who's fathers were loyal to him, they seized the man and forced him to his knees. He trusted the nobility not because they were born better men; indeed most of them would be considered monsters by the common man. Yet they owned everything to him, and what he gave them, he could take back. The lords knew this well, and that that was the true reason for their loyalty.

"Father, he did nothing to you," protested Arthur. "Surely he does not deserve such a harsh punishment."

"Do you agree with him then?" demanded Uther. "That you should have seized the throne and sent this kingdom into a civil war?"

"No father," said Arthur. "But that was not what he meant; he only said that is what a lesser man would have done."

"I won't ask you again," said Uther in a low voice. Why was it that his own son was so intent on defying him? In truth, he did not fear the soldier's words, but rather their love for his son. That love must be destroyed if he was to eliminate the threat of rebellion. It was for the good of the kingdom.

"And what will you do if I don't?" said Arthur with a hint of challenge in his voice.

"I will do what I must," said Uther grimly. "If you are not willing to execute this man, it means that you support his treason. If that is true, then you will share his fate."

For a moment, it seemed that his son would defy his command, but at last he gave a broken sigh and drew his sword. It seemed that the days he had spent in the dungeons had finally managed to teach him the meaning of obedience.

The blade swung once.

* * *

><p><em>Feminine hands held a golden goblet, embedded with precious stones. It was fit for a king, but as the unknown hands poured a deep red wine into the cup, she noticed vial of dark liquid being slipped into the drink; it was poisoned. Her vision flashed, and it changed to Merlin. The manservant lay on a bed, and was utterly still. It seemed that he was even paler than usual. She reached out to touch his hand, but jerked back as she touched his skin; he was as cold as the winter's snow.<em>

Morgana woke with a start, breathing heavily as she did so. Her nightclothes were stuck uncomfortably to her back by her sweat; this dream had been more real than many others, she had never been able to touch anyone before in her visions. Obviously they were warning her of Merlin's death, but why would someone want to kill him? And why use that particular goblet? It made no sense.

"My lady?" said Gwen timidly as she came into the room. "I heard noises, so I thought I'd come in to see if you were well."

"I'm fine Gwen, thank you," said Morgana with a forced smile. "Fetch some more wood for the fire; it's as cold as winter in here."

"No you're not fine, and I know it," said Gwen worriedly. "Maybe it'd help if you talk to someone."

Morgana gave a sigh, why did her maid care so much? A normal girl would have simply obeyed her orders without any further questions. Even the lowborn knew that questions were dangerous things. And yet Gwen was the only maid she trusted; her honesty was all too rare in Camelot.

"I saw someone I needed; he lay dead, poisoned by my enemies," said Morgana quietly. "There is someone in this castle who acts against me."

"My lady, it was just a dream," said Gwen in a comforting voice as she reached in to grasp Morgana's hand.

'My dreams are visions,' thought Morgana to herself. But of course she could not tell her maid; that secret was hers alone, it would be too dangerous to involve another. She may not reveal it deliberately, but who knows what she may say in passing?

"I hope you know that you've become more paranoid ever since you've taken Arthur's place," said Gwen quietly. "You see enemies where none exist!"

"That is where you're wrong Gwen; everyone in court, is an enemy," said Morgana sadly. "Nobody wants to see a woman on the throne. If I want it, then I have to pry it from their cold, dead hands."

"Is it really worth it?" said Gwen softly. "All of this, just for a crown?"

"Once I am Queen, the kingdom will become greater than it has ever been before," said Morgana resolutely. "That is worth any price that I have to pay."

* * *

><p>Nimueh walked slowly through the dungeons, taking care to make as little noise as possible; it was an easy matter to slip past the guards. A true master of illusion could make men see what they wanted to believe; if they did not expect to see a woman walk down a stair, then they would not. The sound of footsteps however would break the fragile illusion. The common folk attributed so many different powers to those with the gift of magic and yet in the end there was only ten known different powers a full Magus could use; two for each of the magical elements.<p>

It was said that magic was given to man by ancient dragons when the powerful creatures and ruled over this land; they knew far more than any mortal man, and it was such a creature that she now sought. Yet the dragons had jealously guarded the secret of their immortality, but after many years she had finally uncovered the sixth magical element for herself. The new knowledge she had gained only made her more curious. What other secrets have the dragons been hiding?

At last, she saw an opening in the distance that into a dank cave; she remembered it well, for it was her who had carved it out below Camelot's foundations. It was a perfect prison for the great beast; long ago she had forged the chains that held the powerful creature in place. And yet if the day came, and someone broke those chains, then there was a small gap in the caverns that led to the outside world, just large enough for the dragon to slip into the world once more.

"Kilgharrah," she called. "I have come to you, seeking your knowledge."

A black shadow emerged from the darkness, the gust of wind it caused reached her even from where she stood, far back in the corridors behind the opening.

"Ah, the high priestess has come in person," said Kilgharrah in an amiable voice.

"The spell you gave to me allowed me to contact an Afanc and summon it into our world, as you said it would," said Nimueh. "But there is one in this city who acts against us; one who destroyed this earthen elemental."

"Uther has spent his life dedicated to the eradication of magic," said the Dragon evasively. "No doubt he found a way to destroy the creature using the means available to him."

At that moment, Nimueh's fears were confirmed. While the Afanc could be defeated by strength of arms, the Gryphon was another story. That was a creature that only a sorcerer would know how to defeat. The Draconian race was said to be almost all-knowing of the world around them, and Kilgharrah would certainly know if a sorcerer was in Camelot. It lied to her and there was only one reason why; the dragon sought to protect this unknown enemy.

Nimueh reached into herself and pulled on all her desires; everything that she had once wanted, and everything she needed now. She cast out her mind, drawing on the sixth and final magical element; the void that was compromised of nothing. It was an contradiction in itself, and yet this power allowed one to devour the knowledge of another, and was the key to immortality. The dragon screamed as its thoughts drained into the High Priestess; images of fire and blood washed over her as she relived the uncounted millennia that this beast has seen. They were nearly incomprehensible flashes, but above all she heard one voice demanding vengeance; the dragon wanted not only vengeance against Uther, but against all of mankind.

The plans the beast had laid down were intricate; she caught more visions of unknown troops, monsters from the ancient past. Then the Dragon began to fight her, using his own desires to slowly pull the knowledge back into his own mind; it seemed that he was desperately trying to hide something. As the last of the Dragon's thoughts flowed back into his mind, she caught an image of a boy in a servant's clothes; at last she had found it. This boy was the key, the key to the Dragon's vengeance and the destruction of mankind.

The Dragon gave a mighty roar and breathed fire in her direction. The flames melted the very rock she 'stood' on and turned it into a molten red liquid. And yet she remained unharmed.

"I expected better from you Kilgharrah," called Nimueh from behind the entrance as her illusion suddenly vanished. "Surely you did not think I was foolish enough to challenge you directly?"

"You cannot stop it," said the Dragon with a laugh. "The race of man is doomed; you can only delay the inevitable."

"Oh, but I will," said Nimueh with a smile. "When this boy lies dead, all you wish for will never come to pass; your plans will fail, and your race will pass into legend."

She turned to leave, the dragon hissing threats in his incomprehensible tongue as she did so.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So what did you all think? I thought it would be a good idea to start having the episodes merge together to form one single story, rather than having groups of chapters that were somewhat removed from each other. There's only a small hint of the episode that this chapter is based on though; a certain review a while back convinced me to write about it, but it was only in the past week that I finally figured out how to make it interesting.

Oh and the full magical system is now released below; hopefully it's interesting and nicely rounded.

Anyway, if you have a moment of spare time, please review! It really does make a difference ;).

* * *

><p><strong>ARS ARCANUM:<strong>

**The Strength of the spell itself depends on the natural ability of the one who casts the spell, as well as the strength of the emotion they are drawing on.**

* * *

><p><strong>Air – Emotion required: Instinct<strong>

External Effects: The ability to use one's mind to push or pull physical objects to or away from your own centre of gravity. Forces you create push back on you with equal force in the opposite direction. These forces are existent in normal everyday life, except they push against each other all the time. Magic simply makes these forces unbalanced.

Internal Effects: Grants one the ability to see the world in a slower time; i.e have faster reaction speed.

**Earth – Emotion required: Intent**

External Effects: Changes your own mass. (Altering the way gravity works by increasing or decreasing its pull.) Can only be used on yourself.

Internal Effects: Enhances natural strengths, sight, scent, vision etc etc.

* * *

><p><strong>Fire – Emotion required: Rage<strong>

External Effects: Manipulates energy (fire, heat etc etc). Can only 'create' small sparks of flame (Draws on the energy of the atoms around us and causes them to react, thus transforming stored energy into heat energy from radioactive decay; does not actually create).

Internal Effects: Makes people or creatures see what is not real; i.e Illusions. Cannot make someone see what they would never believe.

**Water – Emotion required: Serenity**

External Effects: Encourages or dampens all emotions in people (can choose the emotions to strengthen) Hate, Despair, Love etc. You cannot create emotions that are not there in the first place, and you cannot use it on yourself.

Internal Effects: Grants logical thought, ability to process ideas at speeds that are near incomprehensible to normal humans.

* * *

><p><strong>Ether – Emotion required: Love (for an idea, a person, or any object.)<strong>

External Effects: Heal wounds (speeds up cell replication without mutations). Can only be done if you love the wounded man/woman/creature in some way. One cannot heal their own wounds. Infections cannot be healed by magic.

Internal Effects: Perceive the past and future; the future is always uncertain however, certain visions may never come to pass.

**Void – Emotion required: Ambition/Desire**

External Effects: Allows one to drain knowledge from another being, or to give away knowledge. However, the target of the spell will know that these thoughts are not their own.

Internal Effects: The ability to extend one's own life at the cost of another. Immortality.


	13. Dragon's Peril II: To Kill a Servant

**Chapter 13: Dragon's Peril II: To Kill a Servant**

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the late update, but I had to stay up till 3:30 am to get this done and I really didn't feel like editing it at the time. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Oh. and please remember that reviews breed plot bunnies; the more I get, the more ideas I have.

* * *

><p>A red dawn greeted her as Morgana woke from her slumber; her dreams may torment her during the night, but in the day she had to pretend that all was well. While it was common knowledge that that she did not sleep well, if then lords began to see it as a weakness, Uther may decide that she was not fit to rule. Still, as Gwen silently helped her get dressed, her mind wandered back to her visions; there was only one reason why one would want Merlin dead. Whoever the assassin was knew of his powers, why else would they bother with poison when a simple knife could suffice for any common servant?<p>

'A wandering mind does not solve a problem, actions do,' thought Morgana to herself.

"Gwen," said Morgana out aloud. "I want you to tell go find Merlin. Tell him his mother is ill and wishes for him to return to his village."

"Milady?" asked Gwen, who seemed to be slightly confused. "His mother is not really ill, is she?"

"No," said Morgana in a slightly playful voice. "But I want him gone from Camelot for now."

"Forgive me for asking milady, but why would you want him to leave?" asked Gwen timidly.

"I have my own motives," said Morgana with an edge of mystery in her voice. "Now go and do as I asked."

"He'll ask how I knew this," said Gwen uncertainly. "What should I say?"

"Tell him that I've intercepted a letter from his mother; say that she's on her deathbed from some unknown illness, and you managed to read its contents while I was away," said Morgana in an unperturbed tone. "I hope you can read?"

"No milady," said Gwen. "I was never taught; most lowborn girls like me don't have the time."

"Well you'll just have to hope Merlin doesn't test you on that," said Morgana indifferently. "Just tell him that you saw the letter, no doubt he'll think that I'm keeping it from him so that he'll stay; that will make him leave. He always seems intent on doing exactly what I don't want him to do."

"Yes milady," said Gwen with a hint of disapproval in her voice. Morgana sighed to herself; she would do this task herself, but no doubt Merlin would find it extremely suspicious if the information came from her. No, it would be far better for Gwen to do this task; nobody ever suspects her.

"Oh and afterwards, I want you to follow him. Make sure that he is actually preparing to leave; I don't want to take any chances," said Morgana in a commanding voice. "I'll have someone else replace your duties today."

As her maid left the chambers, a clear ring of a bell snapped her out of her thoughts; the King had returned.

* * *

><p>King Uther rode back into his city with little fanfare; he was less concerned with his public image and more with the events that had happened while he left; the men he had stationed in the city had reported the arrival of some ambassador from Cenred. Morgana might be a promising heir, but such a matter was far too delicate to leave to someone as inexperienced as her. It was unfortunate that he had to cut his tour of the army short, but that could always be done some other day.<p>

Even so, he was still greeted by a gathering of lords, led by Morgana. In her striking violet clothes, her tall and proud stance gave her an air of both command and regality; she truly was born to be queen. She easily eclipsed everyone in the courtyard; just as her mother did before her. Uther quickly cast aside those thoughts; the past was better if it laid buried.

As he got closer to the procession, Uther almost smiled as he noticed that half of lords had failed to mask their obvious relief. No doubt Morgana had been challenging their every word, as she was apt to do with him; the only difference was that she could command them now. She had a fire in her that Arthur had lacked; no doubt it would serve her well once he was gone.

"Your Grace, I didn't expect you to return so soon," said Morgana in a voice that betrayed no emotions. Uther sometimes wondered what was behind that mask, but he knew better than to pry; some things are better left hidden.

"I hear that an ambassador from Essetir has arrived in the city; word has it that you treated him rather harshly," replied Uther as he dismounted from his horse.

"I placed _her_ in the guest chambers for now," said Morgana with a hint of a smile. "She awaits your presence, if you wish to talk with her personally."

"Morgana, we must treat our guests with a little more respect," said Uther with a false smile. "We shall hold a feast in honour of our two nations, and only afterwards will we discuss the inane matters of rule."

Inside however, he was a little discomforted that his spies had reported the gender of the ambassador incorrectly; if they had reported such an obvious detail incorrectly, what else had they missed?

"I will defer to your judgement," said Morgana in a cold but polite tone. "Although I don't believe that a feast would make her any more amiable than she is currently."

"Is that so?" said Uther with interest. "Come with me; we need to discuss this in private."

He led the way towards his chambers; privately he was impressed with her handling of the situation so far. She had managed to delay whatever request this ambassador had, thus maintaining the image that she was in control of the situation. When he reached his chambers, he motioned for Morgana to enter and closed the door behind them. He needed time to be honest with her, and that could only be done where there were no ears to overhear them.

"This ambassador, who is she, and what did she say she want?" questioned Uther.

"I believe that she called herself Morgause, and she said she wanted a peace treaty between us and Essetir," replied Morgana with a hint of derision. "I don't believe her; Cenred would have sent someone who was more sociable if that were the case."

"You mentioned that earlier; what is this Morgause like?" asked Uther curiously.

"From what I could gather, she's used to getting her way; it gave me no small amount of pleasure to see her humbled," said Morgana with a slight smirk.

"She almost sounds like you," said Uther observantly. "Perhaps we could use that to our advantage."

"Hardly," retorted Morgana. "If she was similar to me in any way, then there is no way we could use her at all."

"That is what you want others to believe," said Uther with a smile. "But before I go any further, tell me truthfully; are you willing to do whatever it takes to defend Camelot and its interests?"

"Of course I will," said Morgana in an exasperated tone, as if she thought he was an idiot for asking at all. "It is my kingdom after all."

Uther did not respond to that statement, except in the way of a small nod; Morgana was truly his daughter. The girl had as much fire and ambition as he did in his youth; he might even have to start watching his own back.

"Very well then; there may be a way to convince Morgause to work for our benefit," began Uther, watching Morgana's reaction as he did so. If she wasn't willing to do what needed to be done, telling her his plans may be dangerous.

"And what could she do for us?" asked Morgana, who showed signs of great curiosity. Uther smiled to himself; Morgana might be intelligent, but it was good to know that his plans were still beyond her for now.

"Think Morgana," said Uther as he poured some wine for himself. "We don't know what Cenred wants, but if he did propose this peace treaty, then surely he stands to gain from it in some way. We'll say that we accept, but at the same time we will buy her loyalty."

"You'll have to give her a great deal to make her side with us against Cenred," mused Morgana. "I suspect she has no lost love for Camelot."

Uther did not know what to make of that statement; how would his daughter know anything of the sort? Something told him that she was hiding information from him, but years of political experience compelled him not to act; It was better to let lies unravel on their own.

"We will promise her two things; Arthur's hand in marriage, and Cenred's throne," said Uther in an unconcerned voice. "Arthur is tainted with his crime of treason now, none of the lords would want to marry any of their daughters to him; and yet he is still a prince. With him as a husband, who would dare defy her claim to Cenred's throne when she has the might of Camelot 's army behind her?"

"That wine must be addling your thoughts," said Morgana with a light laugh. "She would never trust us, and even if she was stupid enough, Cenred needs to die first."

"Morgana, you disappoint me," said Uther with a chuckle. "That is exactly what Morgause can do for us. Think about it; she has to be ambitious, it's not easy for a woman to get to her position. And an ambitious man, or woman in this case, often will do anything to further their own goals."

Uther waited for her to react, to tell him that it was immoral. Certainly Arthur would have done so; he never had what it took to be a king. Instead, she sat unmoving, considering his plot. A true ruler could not be bound by the morals of common men, and it seemed that Morgana understood this well.

"Even if she decided to aid us, do you really think she can kill Cenred?" asked Morgana after a moment's pause. "From what I've heard, he's surrounded by dozens guards by both day and night; the man is paranoid."

"Cenred is obviously close to this woman in some way; he would not have sent her otherwise," said Uther in a vague manner. "I'm sure she'll find an opportunity to rid us of him."

"So you plan to plunge Essetir into civil war by assassinating their king with his own ambassador," said Morgana in a tone that almost carried a hint of respect. "Some would call your plan near impossible."

"If it fails, it costs us nothing. If it succeeds, we gain Essetir," said Uther. "We can march in and take their kingdom easily; they'll all be too busy to trying to kill each other to respond."

"I suppose our assassin dies an unfortunate death after she assassinates Cenred, assuming that she succeeds?" questioned Morgana. Uther could not help but feel proud of her; she saw what needed to be done, and yet took no joy in it.

"Her usefulness to us expires as soon as Cenred and all his heirs are dead. We cannot allow her to live least she reveal our part in Cenred's assassination," confirmed Uther. "Besides, how can we trust one who would betray her own king for personal gain?"

"I wonder what my father would have thought of this," said Morgana with a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"Gorlois would not have approved," said Uther after a moment's of hesitation. "He always was too honourable for his own good."

"Honourable men don't make good kings," said Morgana resignedly.

"No, they don't," said Uther firmly. "I'm glad you understand that."

* * *

><p>Merlin was busy enjoying his breakfast; it wasn't often that he got to have a decent meal before his daily duties, but ever since Arthur had left with Uther, he had more free time on his hands than he knew what to do with. Of course, all of that would change soon enough, for the prince had just returned from his inspection with Uther.<p>

A quiet knock on his door interrupted his meal, causing Merlin to tilt his head in confusion. Who could it possibly be? Gaius would not bother to knock on his own door, Arthur was the type to barge in without warning, and Morgana was away to greet Uther on his return. For a moment, he considered not responding at all, but his curiosity overcame his caution. He got up and opened the door, fully expecting it to be yet another person who was no doubt trying to ruin his day.

"Gwen!" said Merlin with a hint of surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I'm not sure I should be here," said Gwen hesitantly. "Can I come in?"

"Of course," said Merlin hastily as he stood aside for Morgana's maid. He wondered what she was doing here; surely she would be busy with her own tasks at this time of the day?

"I wasn't sure I could come at all," said Gwen quietly. "But I had to come tell you."

"Tell me what?" said Merlin worriedly. "Have a seat, I think you need it."

"Thank you Merlin," said Gwen in a small voice. "But I saw something terrible... well I didn't see it exactly, but I read it."

"I still have no idea what you're on about here," said Merlin with a reassuring smile.

"It's your mother, she's deathly ill," said Gwen. "I saw a letter on Morgana's desk; I think it was supposed to go to you, but she somehow got it. I don't think she wants you to know."

"My mother is ill?" said Merlin in an aghast voice. "Why would Morgana want to keep this from me?"

"I don't know, she sa-, I think she wants you to stay in Camelot, and she's afraid that you'll leave if you knew," said Gwen with a small stutter in her voice. Merlin narrowed his eyes at her; something about the way she said that seemed off. Why was Gwen being so insightful all of a sudden? Morgana's maid was many things, but sadly she wasn't particularly bright.

"I'll pack my things at once," said Merlin out loud. "Thank you for telling me this, it means a lot to me."

Gwen only gave him a small nod before fleeing the room, confirming Merlin's suspicions. If it was real, no doubt Gwen would have stayed to comfort him; she was always such a kind person. So Morgana must have sent her to lie to him. She obviously wanted him gone for some reason, and given what happened the last time he let her have her way, he'd be damned if she got what she wanted again.

The warlock began to pack his things; it would be useful to pretend to leave so as not to make Morgana suspect anything. After he 'left' the city, it would be a simple matter to double back around and find out exactly what Morgana was plotting this time.

* * *

><p>Morgana sat idly at her desk, subconsciously twirling a quill around her fingers as she did so. Her mind ill was at ease after her conversation with Uther. Why had he told her what he intended to do? It had to be a test of some kind, perhaps to see where her loyalties lay; Uther was not the trusting type. She had to admit that it was a good tactical move from Uther's eyes; they stood to lose very little, and gain a great deal if they could secure Morgause's loyalty. And yet it was doomed to fail; Morgause was a sorceress, and she had no doubt that this particular sorceress would never bend her knee to Uther in any way, no matter what he promised her.<p>

Morgana wondered if she could use her new found knowledge to her advantage; Uther had no idea that Morgause was a sorceress. If she could somehow gain Morgause's trust, perhaps she could become a useful ally. One thing was certain however, she would not allow Morgause to kill Uther. The king must die at her hands, or Arthur's; her father deserved that much.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard soft footsteps to her left; she instantly turned her head in that direction, only to see the very person she had been thinking about standing to her side.

"Just because the king let you out of your chambers, doesn't mean you can enter mine without my permission," said Morgana as calmly as she could.

"You're not concerned?" said Morgause as she tilted her head to one side. "I might be here to kill you after what you did to me yesterday."

"If you are, then you're not doing a very good job; unless you're trying to talk me to death," said Morgana with a hint of mirth in her voice. Despite herself, she liked this Morgause; she seemed to have a direct way of doing things, and that was a rare thing indeed.

"I've heard that you have trouble sleeping," said Morgause. Morgana frowned as she noticed this sudden change in topic; was she trying to distract her?

"In Camelot, it's considered unseemly for a highborn lady to listen to the gossip of servants," said Morgana disdainfully.

"And yet all rumours have a hint of truth to them, do they not?" asked Morgause insistently.

"And what if it were true?" asked Morgana exasperatedly. "There is nothing anyone has ever been able to do about it."

"I know how terrible those dreams can be," said Morgause quietly. "They seem to be more real than reality sometimes; it only makes you feel worse when you realise that the dreams are not that far off from the truth."

Morgana felt a chill run down her spine; she did not know how, but Morgause had discovered her secret. She cast a glance at Morgause as she got up to close the door; to her surprise, there was no smugness in them, only concern. Somehow that only disturbed Morgana more; she could deal with someone who intended to do her harm, but this was different. Or perhaps it was just an act to lower her guard; to get her to reveal more secrets that this Morgause may not yet know.

"How did you know?" demanded Morgana after she ensured that her doors were shut and barred. If this woman did intend to use this information against her, she would ensure that only one of them left this room alive; even if she lost, it would be a better fate to die here than to be executed by Uther.

"I began to suspect the moment you said you were the daughter of Lady Vivienne," said Morgause softly. "But I didn't know for certain until I heard the rumours."

"What does my mother have to do with any of this?" demanded Morgana.

Morgause did not answer for a time; instead, she stood up to admire a painting in her room. It was a portrait of her mother, drawn by one of the most talented artists of the time. Uther had given it to her when she came of age; she recalled that he said that the drawing had captured every essence of her likeness. In the painting, her deep brown hair was styled in wavy curls, perfectly complementing her immaculately structured features; it was said that her beauty alone had saved her house from ruin. And yet her face was cold, her crisp blue eyes seemed to pierce straight into the very soul. She had been a strong woman, or so Uther had said; Morgana wished she had the chance to know her.

"You see, she was my mother too," said Morgause at last.

* * *

><p>Nimueh hated her disguise; pretending to be a servant was below her station. And yet she had to play her role flawlessly, especially now that Uther was back in the city. While she wanted nothing more to simply throw him off the tallest battlement the first time she got, she knew that would not be particularly wise. No one, no matter how powerful they were, could fight off twenty men at once, and Uther's personal guard was always around him. She didn't gain the secret of immortality just so she could waste it trying to kill one tyrannical king.<p>

Besides, she had more pressing matters on her mind, the Dragon's plan was a threat to not just sorcerers, but all of humanity; Uther could wait. Unfortunately, she was still no closer to finding the identity of the boy that the Dragon needed. She had infiltrated the servant's quarters, but it would be suspicious if she started asking questions about one specific servant.

As she rounded the corner of the corridor she was walking through, the sight of the one she had spent the last day looking for snapped her out of her thoughts. It had to be the same boy; his looks were rather distinctive, to say the least.

She hid her relief as she walked up to him, deliberately tripping over the boy as she did so. While a more arrogant woman may have simply chosen to kill the boy outright, she was more careful than that. Who know exactly how powerful this servant could be? Looks could be deceiving when it came to the forces unseen.

"I'm sorry," said Nimueh, adding a slight hint of embarrassment to her voice as she did so.

"It's alright," said the boy hurriedly. "It was probably my fault anyway; let me give you a hand with that."

Nimueh watched with hidden amusement as the servant picked up the clothes she had dropped. This might be far easier than she had feared; the boy certainly seemed harmless enough.

"I'm Merlin; I have to say that I haven't seen you around before," said Merlin.

"That's not surprising," said Nimueh with a smile. "I came here with the Lady Morgause."

"Must be hard to work for her; she looks like she's a demanding mistress," said Merlin.

"It's an easy way to make a living, and she treats us well enough," said Nimueh. "Better than serving as a camp follower."

"Camp follower?" asked Merlin with a hint of confusion. Nimueh couldn't help but give out a little chuckle. This was the great warlock the Dragon had pinned all his hopes on? If he was an actor, he certainly was a very good one.

"Women who follow the army around," said Nimueh by way of explanation. "These are hard times, and the winters seem to be getting harsher with each passing year."

"Oh," said Merlin quietly. "I wish I could do something to help them."

"I can see that you have a good heart Merlin," said Nimueh softly. "But we're just servants; there's nothing we can do."

"We're servants today," said Merlin with a sparkle in his eyes. "But go back far enough, and every King had a servant for an ancestor, a servant who rose above his station."

"I'll keep that in mind for when you become my king," said Nimueh with a laugh. "I better go, my mistress doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"Wait, you haven't told me your name!" called Merlin as she turned to leave.

"I'm Cara," replied Nimueh with a sad smile as she walked away.

"It was nice talking to you Cara," said Merlin from the other end of the hallway.

She rather liked the boy, men who were as naive as him were often crushed by the world before she got to them. It really was a pity that she would have to kill him.

* * *

><p>Morgana lightly fingered the bracelet Morgause had given her; the rubies embedded in the silver glittered as they reflected the light from her fireplace. she said it had belong to her... <em>their <em>mother once. She still couldn't quite believe it; could she really have a sister she never knew about? Privately she still thought that Morgause was lying to her, that she was trying to get closer to her to use her to her own ends. But why would she bother? If Morgause wanted to force her to do her bidding, she could simply threaten to reveal her secret to Uther.

Her thoughts were abruptly broken when someone knocked on the doors to her chambers; it had to be Gwen. Nobody else seemed to like announcing their presence these days. She quickly put the bracelet away; the less Gwen knew, the safer it would be for her.

"Come in," said Morgana.

As she suspected, it was Gwen, looking rather bedraggled from the task she had set her earlier that day.

"Did Merlin buy our little story?" said Morgana curiously.

"Yes milady," said Gwen in a tired voice. "I saw him pack; and I think he bought his way back to Ealdor on a caravan."

"Did he see anyone else during the day?" asked Morgana. "Did you see anything that indicated that he only wanted to pretend to leave?"

"No milady, nothing," replied Gwen. "The only person he talked to during the day was a maid."

Whoever poisoned Merlin was definitely not a maid; she had saw the hands that held the goblet, and they were hands that had never seen work before. Even so, doubt gnawed on her mind; could this 'maid' only be pretending to be a servant?

"This maid, did you know her?" asked Morgana in an offhanded manner.

"No milady, but I believe she was Lady Morgause's maid," replied Gwen, who seemed confused that she cared so much about one maid.

Morgana wondered if this maid could be the one who poisoned Merlin in her dream; surely Cenred's ambassador... her _sister_, had not come all the way from Essetir simply to rid the world of one servant? Even if she knew that he was a sorcerer, it made no sense! As powerful as he may be, he was still one man. Morgana sighed as she put those thoughts out of her mind, it was no use guessing what others may want. At the very least, she had managed to send Merlin away to safety.

"Thank you Gwen, this puts my mind somewhat at ease," said Morgana; she felt nothing of the sort, but she would not lay her worries on Gwen. "Here, take this; you've earned it."

Morgana smiled as she saw Gwen's eyes widen as she caught the golden coin she had given her.

"Milady, I can't take this," whispered Gwen. "This is a full years wage!"

"You can, and you will," said Morgana imperiously, but with a hint of a smile playing across her face at the same time. "Your Princess commands it."

"You're beginning to sound like the King," said Gwen with a smile.

"Is that so? I didn't realise my voice had suddenly dropped several octaves," retorted Morgana. "Help me out of this gown; I wish to retire for the night."

"Milady," said Gwen hesitantly. "Might I be so bold to ask a question of you?"

"By saying that, you've already asked a question," said Morgana as she tilted her head to one side. "I suppose I'll let you ask another."

"Sorry milady, but I still do not understand why you want Merlin to leave Camelot; he'll come back as soon as he realise that his mother is not ill," said Gwen in a confused voice.

"I only need him gone for a short while," said Morgana after a moment's hesitation.

"But why?" asked Gwen insistently. Morgana gave a sigh; sometimes her maid was far too inquisitive for her own good.

"It's for his own good," said Morgana exasperatedly. "Now are you going to help me out of this dress, or do I have to do it myself?"

* * *

><p>It was the day of the grand feast that Uther planned to hold, and Merlin knew that he had to stay, no matter what; for all he knew, Morgana could be plotting Uther's grisly death at this very moment. Even so, he needed to maintain appearances; if he wanted to fool Morgana, he would have to fool everyone else around him as well.<p>

"Gaius," said Merlin in a worried tone as he approached his uncle. "I need to return to Ealdor; I already found a caravan to travel on yesterday."

"What?" asked his uncle with great surprise. "But you're supposed to serve at the feast today! I know how much you like stealing food from the table."

"My mother, she's fallen ill," said Merlin, trying to look crestfallen as he did so. "It isn't too severe for now, but I thought it would be a good idea to try and apply what you taught me."

"I see you've already planned everything out," said Gaius. "Very well, have a safe journey. I'll keep your room clean for when you return."

"My room? Clean?" said Merlin with a smile. "Thank you Gaius, that would save me a great deal of time."

"Correction," said Gaius as he raised his hand. "I'll keep it as clean as it currently is."

"The rats will have chewed through half the room when I return," said Merlin with faked concern.

"Oh Merlin, you know I was only jesting," said Gaius with a smile. "I'll miss you."

"I'll be back soon," said Merlin as he clasped his uncle's hand. "Take care of yourself while I'm gone."

"Considering that I've been taking care of you the whole time, I think I'll be just fine," said Gaius. "Try to come back in one piece."

As Merlin left Gaius's chambers, he noticed a shadow across the doorway that slipped away as he approached. He was right to be paranoid; Morgana was sending someone to follow him. Whatever she was planning must be important if she was that desperate to keep him away.

* * *

><p>Morgana had always enjoyed the feasts that Uther held; the wine flowed so freely that it was often quite easy to get the men to spill their deepest secrets. Sometimes the tales were merely amusing, but other times they could prove to be very useful indeed. But during this feast, she was too anxious to enjoy it fully. While Gwen had reported that Merlin had left the city earlier that day, she could not help but feel a sense of unease. Something was wrong here, but what?<p>

"For many years, our kingdoms have been at odds," said Uther, silencing the entire room with his voice. "And yet today marks a glimmer of hope..."

Morgana shifted her attention to Morgause; her face was one of impassiveness, but it was one Morgana knew all too well. Her sister was furious with Uther; no doubt she knew exactly what kind of man he really was. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but they never got the time during her short visit. The bracelet she been given was beautiful, but it didn't exactly give her any answers.

When Uther finally ended his speech, the hall burst into a smattering of applause; as she joined in however, she spotted _him_. There he was, standing at edge of the hall, no doubt trying to stay out of her sight.

Merlin had seen through her ruse and fooled her; somehow the idiot had chosen exactly the wrong moment to be intelligent. She forced herself to ignore her fears; there was nothing she could do for him now. If the manservant was intent on killing himself, she wouldn't shed any tears when he lay dead.

At least, that was what she told herself.

* * *

><p>Merlin caught Morgana's gaze as she finally managed to spot him. He saw a flash of something in her eyes; alarm perhaps, or was it fear? He couldn't really tell; her face was so hard to read. As he returned to his task of serving drinks however, he saw Cara from the edge of his vision, moving ever closer to him.<p>

"Meet me in the hallway outside," she whispered as she passed him. "And make sure you're not followed."

"What's the matter?" asked Merlin with slight alarm in his voice. "Is something wrong?"

"Not here," she hissed. Then she melted away into the crowd again, leaving Merlin's curiosity unsated.

He slowly left the ballroom, taking care not to be spotted by anyone, especially not Morgana. Whatever Cara was so concerned about seemed to be important.

As he entered a shadowed alcove outside the ballroom, he saw Cara waiting inside, looking very frightened indeed. He wanted to tell her that it was alright, but somehow he guessed that would be a rather big lie.

"What's wrong?" asked Merlin with concern.

"You're Prince Arthur's servant, aren't you?" asked Cara hesitantly. "I asked the other servants, just to be sure."

"Yes I am," said Merlin hurriedly. "Is this something to do with Arthur?"

"I didn't know for certain what was happening, but I think I saw my mistress put something... into Prince Arthur's wine."

"Was it poison?" demanded Merlin as he struggled to keep his own horror hidden; he needed to stay strong now so that Cara wouldn't be so afraid. "Why would she do that if she's seeking a peace treaty?"

"I don't know," said Cara in a frantic voice. "But if she finds out that I told anyone, she'll kill me!"

"Stay here, and do nothing," said Merlin in his calmest possible voice. "I'll take care of this."

Merlin rushed back in the hall, just as everyone was raising their goblets to their lips.

"Stop!" shouted Merlin and gaining everyone's attention. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Morgana gaze at him questioningly, as if she was confused at his actions. He prayed that confusion was real; he didn't know what he would do if she had been the one behind the plot to poison Arthur. "Arthur, your wine is poisoned!"

"How did you learn of this?" asked Uther with interest, cutting off the shouts that came immediately after his words. "And who would dare do such a thing?"

"I saw Lady Morgause lace the wine, Your Grace," said Merlin hesitantly.

"The boy is delusional," said Morgause with a laugh. "If my king ordered me to poison anyone, it would be you, Your Grace, not your son."

"I'm glad that you're so... forwards with your desire to poison me," said Uther with a chuckle, eliciting several nervous laughs from the court. "Very well, if you're telling the truth, you have nothing to fear then, do you?"

"As you wish," said Morgause as she reached for the goblet, but Uther pulled his hand back before she could take the cup.

"No; if this does happen to be poisoned, then I want to ask you more questions on this matter," said Uther with a smile. "I can't do that if you're dead."

"Then what do you propose?" asked Morgause exasperatedly. Merlin was worried now; he could almost believe that the wine was not poisoned at all; what had he gotten himself into?

"You will drink this wine," said Uther in an ominous voice as he turned to Merlin. The warlock felt a stab of fear in his heart as he took hold of the cup.

"But if it's poisoned, he will die," said Arthur in protest as he finally managed to find his voice.

"Then we will honour him for his sacrifice," said Uther unperturbed.

"Your Grace, should we reward loyalty with death?" said Morgana smoothly. "Surely we have better ways to find out if it's poisoned or not."

"Morgana, you know as well as I do that it makes no sense for the wine to be poisoned," said Uther with a nod of respect in Morgause's direction. "This is merely a courtesy before I hand him over to the Lady Morgause."

"Father that is-," began Arthur, but he was cut off by Uther.

"My decision is final," said Uther in a voice that brooked no discussion. "Now drink."

"It's alright Arthur," said Merlin in a shaky voice. "To your health, Your Grace."

"Your Grace, this is barbaric," said Morgana in an almost pleading voice to Uther; the King remained unmoved however. At that moment, Merlin knew the sickening truth; Morgana had convinced Morgause to poison the goblet; why else would she try to send him away? Because she wanted Arthur dead, then only Uther would stand between her and Camelot's throne.

"We all reap what we sow, milady," whispered Merlin. He hoped she understood what she had done; maybe his death would make her see what a monster she had become.

He raised the goblet to his mouth and drank.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Don't you just love it when people jump to all the wrong conclusions? Anyway, please send me a review if you could spare a moment of your time. I'm always very interested in what you think of the story so far!

Oh and unfortunately, I have final exams coming up in a few weeks, so my updates may become sporadic. This update already came late because I had two assignments to do this week.

P.S This time, I want to give a shoutout to all my reviewers who don't have an account! Remember, if you want review replies, you can always create one ;).


	14. Dragon's Peril III: Unlikely Aid

**Chapter 13: Dragon's Peril III: Unlikely Aid**

**Author's Note: **Sorry about the super late update (whoo, 2 month delay), but I went on a holiday shortly after my exams, and for some reason, I can never write while on holiday. Never the less, I'm back for now, and I have some interesting plans ahead for my fic. Sadly, I haven't quite reached the time period I really want to write about yet, but hopefully I'll get there soon.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! As per usual, please tell me if you've found any flaws in my story, or if there was a particular bit that you thought was unnecessary filler. Remember that I love all your reviews, and I look forwards to reading every single one.

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><p>Morgana watched with an indifferent gaze as Merlin downed the entire goblet with one swift motion; inside however, her mind was a storm of panicked thoughts. She prayed that her dreams were wrong, that there would be nothing wrong with the wine. Yet she knew that such hopes were foolish; the dreams were visions, past events have shown her that much. Whoever it was that poisoned the wine, she was almost certain that it was not Morgause. Her sister would gain nothing from killing Merlin. Someone else had uncovered Merlin's secret, and now he was doomed. Her greatest fear was that they would come after her as well. A part of her knew how selfish her thoughts were, but even if she wanted to save Merlin, there was nothing she could do for him. She needed to ensure that she would not go down with him.<p>

As Merlin slowly lowered the goblet, she could see a spark of shock in his eyes. To her great surprise, he was still standing. For a moment she allowed herself to hope; perhaps her dreams had only been the fearful thoughts of a restless mind.

"It's fine," said Merlin in a surprised, but relieved voice.

"He's all yours," said Uther with a scoff as he turned to Morgause.

Before Morgause could say anything, Morgana seized the opportunity she would have to defend the idiotic manservant. It seemed that she was wrong after all; the cup was not poisoned, but that did not mean he was in any less danger.

"My lady, surely you don't intend to do any permanent damage to Arthur's favourite servant," said Morgana in a smooth voice.

"He's not my -," began Arthur in an indignant voice, but she instantly turned her icy gaze to him, silencing whatever words he was about to say. The idiot prince quickly realised that Merlin's life hung in the balance on his word. While Arthur may not like Merlin all that much, he would never allow an innocent to die for nothing. At least, that was what she hoped; past events have proven than she was not the best judge of Arthur's character.

"Well he is a capable servant," said Arthur at last. "And I think a death would ruin the atmosphere of peace we are trying to achieve here."

"Perhaps a lesser punishment is in order; something that he'll never forget," said Morgana in a voice that was as dispassionate as possible. While she wanted to save Merlin, she needed Uther to believe that she only did so to further his plans. Besides, it would not be good if people thought she cared about the boy; the lords would have no qualms to use him to gain an advantage over her, no matter how slight it could be. Worse still, they may even discover her greatest secret through him; her fate would be sealed the minute that happened.

With a start, she wondered why she bothered to save Merlin at all. Now that she had a 'sister' who was also gifted with magic, she could learn from another, someone who was no doubt far better at keeping secrets. The boy was a danger to her very existence; half the time he did not even do as she asked. It was only a matter of time before he did something disastrous. Every rational thought led her to one single conclusion, that she should simply allow the boy to die. And yet for some reason, she could not bring herself to condemn him.

"What did you have in mind, my lady Morgana?" asked Morgause curiously, cutting off her thoughts.

"Twenty lashes should suffice," said Morgana. "After all, we don't want him rendered incapable of fulfilling his duties."

"He did accuse me of poisoning the prince's wine," said Morgause with a predatorily stare as she turned to Merlin, who stood still as a rock, knowing that his life was hanging in the balance. "A false accusation as great as this should not be let off so lightly."

"Perhaps not, but I'm sure that you understand that mercy is an admirable trait," said Arthur in a calm voice. She had been counting on this; it was Arthur who could save the boy, and fortunately he had risen to the occasion; she had not misjudged him this time. "He's just a boy who probably had one too many drinks at the tavern before the feast."

"Very well sire, seeing as you are so fond of the boy, I will spare his life," said Morgause with a smile. "Twenty lashes it will be; I hope he will not soon forget them."

Morgana breathed in with near invisible relief as she heard her sister utter her statement; she had been holding her breath without realising it. As the guards dragged Merlin away, Morgause stopped them with a wave of her hand.

"I believe you're forgetting something boy," said Morgause with an chiding tone.

"Thank you my lady, for showing mercy," said Merlin in a somewhat bitter voice. Morgana winced inwardly as he spoke his words; it would be better if he had simply acted confused. He really wasn't bright at all.

"Do not thank me," said Morgause with a smile. "You should thank the Lady Morgana and your Prince; if not for their words of counsel, your head may well be rolling before dawn."

Morgana did not hear Merlin's words as she stared impassively at her sister, who returned her gaze with a nearly imperceptible nod. While others may simply view Morgause words as deference to her hosts, Morgana knew differently. It was a threat and a message, and she had a feeling her sister was going to use Merlin to get whatever it was that she wanted.

* * *

><p>Morgause watched with interest as Uther's guards dragged the servant out of the hall; it was very odd indeed that her long lost sister would care about the fate of this inconsequential boy. Although she had only known her sister for a short while, it was clear that the woman was ambitious and prideful. She did not seem like the type to have flings with servants and thus endanger her position in court; there had to be something about him that was unique. Her thoughts were interrupted as Uther broke the silence in the hall; the boy could wait. For now, it was far more important to focus on the matter at hand.<p>

"Now that the unpleasant business has been dealt with, I would like to make an announcement," said Uthe. "In order to secure the peace between our two realms, I would like to join our houses in blood and name."

"Your Grace, while I'm sure my king would value such an alliance, I'm afraid it will not be possible," said Morgause with faked subservience. She wasn't sure where this was going; Cenred had no daughters, and neither did Uther. Surely Uther did not plan on marrying his son to one of Cenred's distant relatives?

"It is a pity that King Cenred does not have a daughter, but that does not mean a union cannot go ahead," said Uther with a knowing smile. "Tell me, does Cenred value your advice?"

"It could be said that I am his own real advisor, your Grace," said Morgause. "The lords around him prefer to let the king do what he wants, lest they incur his wrath. My role is to tell him the truth."

"I thought as much," said Uther. "He would not have sent you on this most delicate of missions if he did not trust you. To that end, I feel that if you were to join my house, then it would be a good step towards peace between Essetir and Camelot."

Morgause eyed Uther with an impassive stare, but even she could not keep the shock out of her eyes. This marriage with Arthur could gain her position beyond even her wildest imaginations. No doubt Uther planned to use her to his own ends, but she was not so easy to use. This unexpected opportunity could even bring her onto the throne of Camelot itself!

"Your Grace, I am of noble birth, but the prince is far above my station," said Morgause in her most humble voice, scarcely able to contain her excitement. "However, if you sanction this union, how could I refuse?"

"Then it is decided, you will marry my son in due course," said Uther firmly. "For now, let us celebrate the peace that is finally within our grasp after so many decades of war."

Morgause could not help but notice the horrified look on Arthur's face; it seemed that his father's proclamation had rendered him speechless. As she sipped her wine, she could not help but smile at the turn of events. Unknown to Uther, he may have just signed over the kingdom to her.

* * *

><p>His body sent him a silent scream of protest as he was forced onto his knees upon the cold stone platform, it almost felt like his knees had been broken on impact. It was the very same execution platform he had seen when he first entered the city. Fortunately, they were not here to execute him; but that did not mean he had to be grateful for the situation he found himself in. Not for the first time, Merlin cursed his own stupidity; why had he believed Cara in the first place? He doubted that was her real name at all, but what he did not understand was why she wanted him dead. In fact, he probably would be dead if Morgana had not intervened, but even so, he could not help but feel a little bitter all the same. She could have made his punishment lighter if she wished; no doubt that she had chosen to punish him for failing to listen to her commands.<p>

"People of Camelot, it brings me no joy to say that we are gathered here to met out the King's Justice," Uther said in a powerful voice. Merlin couldn't believe that once he would have believed every word that came from someone who looked as noble as Uther Pendragon. It was funny how authority once made him feel safe; now he knew that behind every noble face lurked dark secrets.

"This man has falsely accused the ambassador from Essetir of trying to murder my son; this grave crime would have been met with death, but the Lady Morgause has chosen to show mercy. He will be given twenty lashes; we can only hope that this servant will have learned his place. Begin."

As the whip began to descend, he glanced towards the balcony where the lords sat. He spied Morgana out of the corner of his eye, and for a moment, he thought he saw a flash of pity on her face. His thoughts were cut in half when a searing pain, as hot as burning metal, and colder than ice in the winter cut into his back. His vision darkened for a second as he screamed out in agony, only to have the second lash silence his voice with the force of the blow. A dark haze slowly obscured his senses, and yet he was still vaguely aware of the crowd jeering at him as the whip was raised yet again.

* * *

><p>Nimueh walked through the darkened halls, keeping her head down as she did so. It was laughable how easily one could move about when you were dressed as a servant; the guards didn't even give her a second glance as they went about their duties. As much as she didn't like debasing herself with menial tasks, she had to admit that it made things far easier than it would have been otherwise.<p>

As she thought back to the day's events, she had to admit that not everything turned out as she had planned. In a perfect world, Merlin would already be dead, executed at Uther's hand. Unfortunately, Morgause had somehow taken it into her head to spare the boy. It was a curious development indeed; Morgause was not one to take pity on a common serving boy. She would have to investigate this matter further, after the boy was dead and buried.

She entered the physician's chambers, the smell of blood and sweat permeating through the air. She was relieved that Gaius was not here; she had once been friends with the man, and it would be most unfortunate if she had to kill him. Nimueh walked over to room directly opposite to her, the source of the foul smell in the room.

"Gaius, I would really lik-," began Merlin, but he stopped himself as soon as he saw her. "Cara. What are you doing here?"

"Only what needs to be done," whispered Nimueh as she sat down beside him. She took out a small vial, containing a cool, clear liquid, and saw a flash of fear from Merlin's eyes.

"Don't worry, it will be relatively painless," said Nimueh quietly. She easily removed the cloth that bound the boy's wounds. Merlin tried to resist, but he was still weakened from his ordeal, and she was far stronger than she looked. She poured the venom into his open wound, allowing the liquid to seep into his blood, paralysing him and infecting the wound with a slow poison. She started at the boy with cold calm as he mouthed something that almost seemed like a word before the light went out of his eyes. He was still breathing for now; she had considered simply slitting his throat, but that just seemed far to inelegant. Besides, it would raise suspicions if Uther learned that someone slit the throat of a servant. It was best if she tried to make his death look natural.

With a final glance at the boy, she left as quickly as she came, leaving no trace of her presence.

* * *

><p>Morgana walked purposefully through the halls towards the physician's chambers. For reasons she could not quite place, she wanted to see how well Merlin had fared. Some part of herself told her that this was foolish; someone could be following her, and she could not afford to let anyone know exactly what Merlin's connection to her was. Never the less, she ignored her fears; if someone suspect her motives, she could easily eliminate them if she chose. Being the heir apparent did have its benefits.<p>

She knocked quietly on the physician's door, but heard no response. The physician must not be present, though she had expected Merlin to be conscious by now. She pushed open the door and walked into the empty chambers. The smell of the various herbs the physician used assailed her sense of smell, mingling with the metallic scent of blood.

As she entered Merlin's chambers, the image that greeted her shocked Morgana still. He was as white as he had been in her dreams, his face twisted, as if in great pain. She could smell the rot from his wounds even at this distance.

"Guards!" she commanded as she tried to regain her senses.

"Yes milady?" said a man as he hurriedly rushed into the physician's chambers.

"Find me the physician, bring him here at once. I want you to send another man to bring me the Prince; he will want to hear what I have to say," commanded Morgana.

"At once milady," said the man uncertainly, though he remained where he was, as if uncertain what the problem was. She was beginning to wonder if Uther deliberately picked the most brainless men to guard his palace.

"I gave you orders; please explain to me why you have not fulfilled them yet?" said Morgana with a dangerous voice.

"It's just that I don't know what's going on," said the man nervously. "What should I tell-"

"Tell them I require their presence immediately, or there will be consequences," said Morgana with a thinly veiled threat.

The man hurried out of the chambers, leaving her alone with Merlin once more. She reached out to tentatively touch his hand. She had magic; surely there was something she could do to save him. And yet Merlin had never taught her anything of the kind. She had foreseen this future; she wielded the power to tear someone apart with her mind, but still she could not save one man? It was almost laughable.

"My lady, what are you doin-" asked Gaius as he entered his chambers, but Morgana cut him short.

"Where have you been?" asked Morgana with suspicion in her voice. Through her dreams, she knew that someone had poisoned Merlin somehow, and she could not rule anyone out. Not even the old man. "I would have expected you to stay with your ward while he recovered."

"I just left for a few minutes to gather some herbs; he is in no mortal danger," said Gaius confusedly.

Morgana considered his words; in truth, she had no choice but to trust the old man for now, if he was the one who poisoned Merlin, then it was highly unlikely that anyone else in the city would be able to save him. Well, perhaps there was one other... but could she get Morgause to aid her without alerting her to her own motives?

"No mortal danger? It seems to me that your charge is not doing so well," said Morgana as she regained her composure. Although Gaius did not seem like a man who would try to use Merlin against her, being careful could not hurt.

Gaius moved quickly to check on Merlin's still body, only to confirm what Morgana already knew. She gauged his reaction as well as she could; he seemed shocked, but that did not mean he wasn't acting.

"He wasn't like this earlier," said Gaius in a frantic voice. "Someone must have done this to him while I was away!"

"That much is obvious," said Morgana drily. "But we don't have time to speculate on who. Do you know how to save him?"

"I don't know, and I don't know if we have enough time for me to find out," said Gaius. "But he did say that the cup was poisoned. Perhaps it was a slow acting one?"

At that moment, Arthur walked into the room, wearing a scowl on his face. Perhaps if she was not so concerned with Merlin's condition, she may even have enjoyed Arthur's reaction to his upcoming marriage. But now she had no time for the impertinent prince.

"Morgana, this really isn't the time," said Arthur in a frustrated voice. "I have a lot of things on my mind."

"Your servant is dying," said Morgana briskly. "Given that he was willing to sacrifice his own life to protect yours, I would think that you would be more concerned."

"What? What happened to him? Last I saw, he was still perfectly healthy, if a little bloody," said Arthur in an alarmed voice.

"He drank from a cup that he claimed was poisoned; surely even you can see a connection here," said Morgana exasperatedly.

"So Morgause did try to kill me," said Arthur with anger. "I am going to find her and make her answer for this!"

"We cannot rush through this," said Morgana. "We don't know if she was the one who tried to kill you; it would gain her nothing."

"If not her, then who?" questioned Arthur.

"I don't know, but we need to avoid jumping to conclusions; stay here with your servant, I will deal with the situation," said Morgana imperatively.

* * *

><p>It did not take long for Morgana to reach the guest chambers; she swept past the stuttering guards outside as if they weren't there. They could prove to be useful, just in case it was her 'sister' who poisoned Merlin. However, she still could not find a good reason why anyone would want him dead. Surely if they wished to use him against her, he would be far more useful alive than dead.<p>

"Lady Morgana," said Morgause in a surprised voice. "I had not expected to see you here."

"Spare me the pleasantries," said Morgana. "I've come to inform you of a rather disturbing turn of events."

"Oh, and what might that be?" asked Morgause in a cautious voice.

"It seems that one certain serving boy has been poisoned. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" asked Morgana in a polite voice.

"He is dying then?" asked Morgause dispassionately, though Morgana could see a flash of fear in her eyes. She knew she had Morgause now; she had to help Merlin now, or she would suffer the same fate as him.

"That he is," replied Morgana. "Now imagine what would happen if he did die. He did accuse you of trying to poison the prince... his death could be very problematic for you."

"Sister, I assure you that I did not poison Arthur," said Morgause. "It would be tantamount to suicide, and I do enjoy living."

"I believe you," said Morgana genuinely. "However, the king will not if Arthur's manservant dies."

"You play a dangerous game," said Morgause with narrowed eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"My Lady Morgause, I only have Camelot's best interests at heart," said Morgana in a sweet voice. "Help me, and this news need never reach the king's ears."

"Very well, I will do what I can for the manservant. Lead the way," said Morgause; Morgana almost swore she saw a flash of a smile, but it must have been her imagination.

* * *

><p>Morgause followed her sister though Camelot's halls. The nerve she had astounded her; Morgana had threatened her directly, unafraid of the consequences that could have followed. And yet she had to do what Morgana said. One really did have to admire the way how she knew to bend people to her will without making them snap. If she had any doubts about her true parentage before, she did not have them anymore.<p>

As she entered the small chamber, she spied Arthur Pendragon giving her a murderous look before turning to Morgana.

"You bought her here?" said Arthur incredulously. "For all we know, she tried to kill me."

"i seriously doubt that," said Morgana with a laugh. "As things stand right now, you're not really worth killing. Besides, you're worth far more to her alive than dead."

"That just makes me feel so much better," said Arthur dryly.

"I believe we have more important things to attend to than to watch the two of you argue over my motives," said Morgause scathingly. "Physician, have you learned what ails the boy?"

"His blood seem to be poisoned somehow," said the old man uncomfortably. "I don't understand; I've cleaned his wounds thoroughly before to prevent this."

Morgause slowly examined the wound herself, ignoring the suspicious look the physician gave her. She supposed it would be considered rare for a noble to understand the healing arts, but then again, she never tried to pretend to be ordinary before.

"The wound has been poisoned by a certain venom that speeds up decay," said Morgause at last. "It's hard to detect, but I've seen the effects enough times in my past to know what it looks like."

"You're saying someone poisoned him after he was whipped?" demanded Arthur.

"The implications behind it are more worrying to me," said Morgause. "This poison is not easy to obtain; certainly the amount used is worth far more than a manservant."

"We can worry about who did it later; is there any way to counteract this poison?" asked Morgana impatiently.

"I have heard of such a poison," said Gaius with a sigh. "The Mortaeus flower; the petals have an essence that is devastating once it mingles with the bloodstream."

"Is that what it is called?" asked Morgause curiously. "I have seen it before, but never has anyone put a name to it. What I do know is that the sap of the plant, applied to his wounds, will cure him."

"So what exactly do you do with your knowledge of poisons," asked Arthur sarcastically.

"Do you even need to ask?" replied Morgause with a raised eyebrow. "I don't need you to agree with my methods, but if you want to save your servant, you will need to find that plant."

"Well, where can you find it then?" asked Morgana impatiently. There was something going on here, something her sister was trying to hide. Morgause quickly put aside those thoughts; perhaps she was simply being paranoid. The manservant certainly did not look like anyone she should recognise.

"The plant only grows in the Forest of Balor," said Morgause. "It is a treacherous place; I'd recommend against going there."

"Well, personally, I don't care what you think," said Arthur. "I'll find this plant."

"You wouldn't last for three hours in that forest," retorted Morgause. "What good would it do if you died trying to save your servant?"

"Oh don't make it seem like you care about me," said Arthur sarcastically. "You just want to increase your own standing through this unholy alliance."

"Don't you believe that it is a cheap price for peace between Essetir and Camelot?"" said Morgause with an innocent smile.

"This bickering is pointless," said Arthur with a wave of his hand. "Merlin may just be a servant, but he did save my life once; what sort of man would I be if I did not return the favour?"

Morgause was slowly watching her chance of subverting Camelot from within slip from her fingers with each passing second. There was no other choice; Arthur Pendragon must live, and therefore she had to ensure that it.

"Very well; if you must go, then I will accompany you. It is in the best interests of both kingdoms that you stay alive," said Morgause with a sigh.

"I believe we have reached an agreement then," said Morgana with a small smile. "You need to leave as soon as you can, before Uther gets wind of what you are about to do."

"Unlike you Morgana, I don't believe in lying to get what I want," said Arthur disapprovingly. "I'm going tell him where we're going."

"He would never allow you to go," said Morgana exasperatedly. "Besides, it's not exactly a lie, merely an omission of truth."

"I may not be crown prince anymore, but I am still a knight," said Arthur with a hint of pride. "I'm sure my father will respect me trying to uphold the principles of knighthood, no matter what else he thinks of me."

"That way of thinking is exactly why you lost your position in the first place," said Morgana in a voice that was barely more than a hiss. "Fine, go tell your father; leave it to me to get you out of the castle after he locks you in."

"I will be at the stables when the moon reaches its apex," said Morgause. "Try not to be late."

* * *

><p>Arthur Pendragon marched towards the throne room, fully armed and armoured. He did not share Morgana's pessimistic view of his father. Surely he would understand why he had to try and save Merlin.<p>

"Father, I have come to make a request," began Arthur.

"I already know what you have come to ask," said Uther with a impassive voice. "I know that your manservant is dying from his wounds; infection no doubt."

Arthur opened his mouth to correct his father, but closed it as soon as he did; if he did say it was poisoned, who knows what Uther would do? Morgana was right, Morgause would gain nothing from killing him; though he did not like being forced into a marriage, he would not condemn her for a crime she did not commit.

"The physician said he knew of a herb that could save him," said Arthur slowly. It seemed like he became more and more like Morgana with every passing day. It was the truth, just not the whole truth. Even so, it felt wrong somehow to mislead his father in such a manner.

"Then the boy will be fine; I'm sure Gaius can retrieve the herb himself," said Uther dismissively.

"It grows only in the Forest of Balor," said Arthur hurriedly. "I seek your permission, and perhaps a dozen knights to go and retrieve this plant; a field expedition could do our men some good."

"No," said Uther with disdain, as if he thought that the idea was completely ridiculous. "You have already committed treason against me once; don't think I haven't forgotten. I'm not about to let you out of my sight again."

"Father, do you really think I could plot rebellion with a dozen men?" said Arthur, struggling not to let anger cloud his thoughts. Did his father really think that lowly of him?

"Of course not, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't be foolish enough to try," said Uther. "No matter what happens, you are still my only son, and it would be unfortunate if I had to kill you. Besides, you are needed here to secure to peace between Camelot and Essetir, or have you forgotten already?"

"Father, I swear to you, on my honour, that I will return as soon as I-," began Arthur.

"Enough, I will hear no more of this foolishness," said Uther. "Guards, escort the prince back to his chambers, and ensure that he does not leave."

Arthur glared at the two men as they walked forwards to seize his arms, causing them to back away. Giving one final glance at his father, he turned to leave the room, the two guards following him with every step.

* * *

><p>Morgana waited patiently in a darkened corner of Arthur's chambers; no doubt the prince would be sent back here after his foolish attempt to persuade Uther. She hoped Arthur would not have gone too far and gotten himself locked up in a dungeon yet again; there was no way she could get him out if that happened.<p>

Fortunately, she soon heard approaching footsteps, confirming that Arthur had indeed failed to sway his father with his words. The slam of the door was soon followed by a soft click as the guards locked the doors from the outside. She watched amusedly as Arthur tossed his sword onto his bed in anger before stepping out from the shadows.

"The Prince of Camelot, locked in his chambers like a disobedient boy," said Morgana with a smile as she emerged. "I believe this has to be a new low; at least you were treated as a credible threat last them when he threw you into the dungeons."

"Morgana," said Arthur with shock, which quickly turned into annoyance. "Don't even think about saying 'I told you so.'"

"Since you've already gotten the point, I don't think I need to," said Morgana in her most superior voice possible; for reasons unknown, she had always enjoyed riling up the prince.

"If you're so intelligent, tell me how you're going to explain to everyone why you were locked up in my chambers with me," retorted Arthur. "I think you just ruined your own image just by being in here, O heiress of Camelot. And I might add that soldier's uniform looks ridiculous on you."

As he finished, Morgana pointed to the very long rope she had tied to Arthur's bedpost mere minutes earlier.

"See, unlike you, I never do anything without planning ahead; I knew you would have to escape from the castle unnoticed," said Morgana smugly. "I hope you can fit out of your window."

"I'm not half as fat as you think I am," said Arthur with a growl as he opened his window and tossed the rope out the side.

"And here I thought you were going to help the lady out first," said Morgana drily as Arthur slowly began to slide down the rope.

"For a real lady, I would," said Arthur as he slid out of sight. "I personally think you're much to venomous to be human at all."

She sighed as she too stepped out the window and gently lowered herself on the rope. It was a good thing she was dressed in a soldier's garments, else she would have easily fallen to her death by tripping on one of her flowing gowns. She really did not understand why she even bothered to go through all of this, just to save Merlin, of all people.

Once they had both reached the courtyard, Arthur gave her a strange look, almost as if he was impressed that she had managed to climb down without slipping; as if it was such an impressive feat.

"So we're just going to leave the rope dangling there?" asked Arthur. "That is going to attract a lot of attention once the sun rises."

"Then you best be far away when it does," said Morgana dismissively as she walked as fast as possible towards the stables, all the while trying to draw as little attention to herself as possible. Arthur matched her pace; if no one looked to closely, one would think that they were just another pair of guards on patrol.

"So this plan wasn't perfect by any means," said Arthur smugly. "You're not half as clever as you think you are."

"I had limited resources and time," retorted Morgana. "If you wanted me to send men and comb the city to look for a double to replace you, Merlin would be long dead by that time."

"Morgana, that's an even worse plan than the one before," said Arthur amusedly. "There is no other man like me."

"I suppose you're right," said Morgana without breaking stride. "There's nobody quite so arrogant, irritating, and stupid as you are."

Arthur did not respond, and they soon reached their destination. As per her word, Morgause was already waiting for them, and for that Morgana was glad. Despite everything she said however, she didn't really know what her own reaction would be if Arthur did indeed die while trying to save Merlin. Morgause was a powerful sorceress who had everything to lose and nothing to gain if the prince did die, and her presence on the journey went a long way to assuage Morgana's fears.

"Try not to die Arthur," said Morgana as Arthur mounted his horse. "I wouldn't want to deal with the political aftermath if you did."

"I'm so glad that you care," said Arthur sarcastically. "Make sure my father doesn't imprison me when I get back, and then I'll be grateful."

Morgana gave him a nearly imperceptible nod before turning to her sister.

"I am sorry if I have forced you into this," whispered Morgana. "But rest assured that I bear no ill will towards you."

"I have no taken offense; you are family after all," said Morgause simply. She said the words so genuinely that Morgana almost believed in them. Almost. "But there is something I do not understand; why do you care so much about this one manservant?"

Morgana paused as she slowly considered the question herself. It was one she had gone over several times this night, and none of the answers were straightforward. The only reason she had was that Merlin had helped her to control her powers, and that was not something she was willing to let Morgause know yet.

"He's my informant," lied Morgana. "A manservant hears many things that he should not, and he is the prince's personal servant. Hidden ears can go a long way."

"Indeed," said Morgause with an expressionless mask. Morgana couldn't really tell if her sister bought the story or not. "I will see you soon."

"You two can scheme all you want when I get back," said Arthur. "We must ride now if we want to get out of Camelot before someone notices I'm missing."

"Go then," said Morgana as the two riders readied themselves. Their horses streaked out of the stables moments later, almost as if they had never been there in the first place. She gave one last look towards them as she walked quickly back towards the castle.

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><p><strong>AN:** As this has been a long update, certain plot points I planned to use have been cast aside for more interesting ones. This chapter was particularly hard to write because I had to get back 'in universe' after a 2 month absence; hopefully it was worth it. I'm repeating myself, but please review if you can spare a minute or two; it helps me out a lot!

P.S I'm excited about the Fifth Season of Merlin! Hopefully it will feature a more overarching plotline, and may the most intelligent character win (no prizes for guessing who I think that is). The reboot is an interesting idea too; I wouldn't mind it if they rewrote the plot so it's more like one story over the course of a season, like Game of Thrones or Vampire Diaries. I get far more attached to one overarching story.


	15. Dragon's Peril IV: Change of Allegiance

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the late update everyone, but to finish this chapter I had to read three different books to get a better idea of how to form a power game out of all. You know I hate simple plots; everything interesting is about power you know ;).

As usual, I love your reviews and it would be great if you left me one after you finish reading. I hope you like the chapter; it incorporates many ideas that were already lurking in the back of my head, but only now have they finally crystallised.

P.S To that anonymous reviewer I had, yes I have read the Mistborn series, and it really shows you what a good magic system can bring to world-building, though the power struggles in it are a bit simple.

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><p><strong>Chapter 15: Dragon's Peril IV: Change of Allegiance<strong>

The ring of the warning bells sounded as the hazy sun rose on the horizon. Morgana turned slowly in her bed, annoyed by the disturbance; her activities the night before meant that the last thing she wanted was to be woken at dawn. Unfortunately, her duties took precedence over her own desires; Uther would no doubt want to punish Arthur for this, and if she wanted Merlin to live, she would need to save Arthur from his father's wrath.

"Gwen!" she called out to her maid. "You best get me ready for the day, I suspect I will be needed at court before long."

"Are you sure milady?" asked Gwen worriedly. "You look very tired, and I know you don't sleep well. Surely whatever business the King has can wait?"

"As much as I'd like to sleep until the sun has fully risen, I'm afraid this can't wait," said Morgana tiredly; she inwardly cursed as the words escaped her mouth.

"Why?" asked Gwen. "Do you know what happened?"

"No, but as heir, I will be expected to be present for my subjects in times of crisis," lied Morgana quickly. "Remember, I have to take Arthur's place now that he's forfeited his position."

"As you wish, milady," said Gwen with a bow. Morgana did not like keeping secrets from her maid, but then again, servants weren't known for their ability to keep their mouths closed. Still, Gwen was more perceptive than she had expected, and she would have to tell her something sooner or later.

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><p>"Make way for the King!" cried his herald as Uther Pendragon marched into the throne room through the crowd, his eyes ablaze with anger.<p>

"I have called you all here to discuss the fate of my son, Arthur Pendragon," Uther said grimly as he sat down on his throne. "Once again, he has defied my direct orders; he has left the castle without my consent, no doubt to stir up the common masses in rebellion. As a result, I will now issue a decree for his execution. Any citizen of the Kingdom of Camelot who sees Arthur Pendragon will be obliged to bring me his head, or face the wrath of the crown."

"May I speak, your Grace?" asked Morgana smoothly. Uther watched her with an impassive gaze as he motioned for her to speak. It could be quite possible that she convinced Arthur to leave in order to send him to his death. He would have to watch her carefully if this was the case.

"We must not jump to conclusions when Arthur is concerned; we have all watched him grow into a man's body, but his mind is still that of a boy," said Morgana. "I do not think rebellion is the first thing on his mind; he barely knows the names of each noble house."

There were murmurs of agreement among the lords; it disturbed Uther to see that Arthur still had so much support amongst the lords despite his fall from grace. Still, it reassured Uther to see that Morgana was pleading for Arthur's life; he had hoped that she was not the one who convinced him to go, and this was the most significant proof he had so far. Kinslaying was a grievous crime; it would have grieved him if it turned out that she plotted against her own brother, even if she did not know that he was her flesh and blood.

Then again, she could also be pleading for Arthur's case to cover her own tracks.

"And what do you think is his purpose?" demanded Uther.

"I do not know what goes inside Arthur's mind; I doubt any of us here do," said Morgana.

"I still want to hear your opinion on his thoughts; you were close to him once after all," said Uther with a smile.

"Perhaps he's feeling contrite for his previous crimes, and wishes to go on some foolish errand to redeem himself for you?" said Morgana in a thoughtful voice. "I'm sorry, Your Grace, I can only make vague guesses at Arthur's thoughts these days."

"Your Grace, if I might speak?" said Gaius from the back of the court. "I believe that Arthur came to you the previous evening with a request."

"What of it physician?" asked Uther irritably. "Surely you are not suggesting that he defied my orders to save his servant?"

"The simplest answer is usually correct when it comes to Arthur; I do not believe that he has anything else in mind other than to what he thinks is right," said Gaius in a meek voice.

"I did not know of this development, but I believe what the physician said has a ring of truth in it," said Morgana with a deferent nod to the physician. "I'm sure that your Majesty knows that Arthur is often too caring for his own good."

"Careful Morgana; you've defended Arthur many times in the past, one might almost being to suspect that he was your pawn in all of this," said Uther half jokingly, eliciting a nervous laugh from the court.

"If only he were my pawn; I could think of far better tasks for him that to save some servant," said Morgana with a laugh. "Sadly, I don't think Arthur answers to anyone but himself, but surely that isn't worth a death sentence?"

"Very well; I will change the decree to call for his arrest. I will see what he has to say for himself before I decide his fate," said Uther calmly. "Now, let us move onto other matters..."

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><p>Morgause was going through the recent events in her head; riding through strange lands with Uther's son was not what she had in mind when she set out to Camelot. Although she knew that there was a sorcerer in the city who had foiled her plans previous, she still had no idea who it was. Certainly her sister could not have done so; her powers were still more or less insignificant. But someone must have taught her to master her powers in the first place. Whatever it was that her sister was planning, it was obvious to her that she could not be trusted.<p>

"So, how did you end up as Cenred's ambassador anyway?" asked Arthur suddenly, breaking her chain of thought.

"I don't see how that concerns you," said Morgause. "Focus on the road; death could come at any time."

"You're certainly a very talkative person," remarked Arthur drily. "If I am going to be forced to marry you, at least you should make an effort to know me better."

"I've learnt everything I've need to know from watching you," said Morgause with a smirk. "You're a very transparent man, did you know that?"

"Oh is that so?" said Arthur in a challenging voice. "Fine, tell me what you know then."

Ordinarily, Morgause would have paid no attention to the boy's words, but for now, there was nothing better to do other than to verbally spar with him. It would be no great feat to defeat him, but even so it would be interesting to see how easily she could push his buttons.

"Being the fool that you are, you believe in some inherent goodness in men," said Morgause with a smile. "You do not see when you are being used by your so called 'friends' and your father, a mere puppet in the grand scheme of things."

"Everything I do is of my own choice," said Arthur with a scowl. "I chose to save Merlin."

"Did you now?" said Morgause while arching her eyebrows. "Remind me who told you about Merlin's state in the first place, and the one who got you out of Camelot."

"Morgana?" said Arthur with frown. "So she helped me, but that doesn't mean-"

"She's using you for her own purpose; possibly to save your servant, or more likely, to make you look like a fool in front of your father," interrupted Morgause. "Perhaps she even wants you dead."

"I don't believe that," said Arthur. "Perhaps you're just bitter because I actually have people who care about me, while you're alone in this world."

"I'm only being honest with you Arthur," said Morgause with fake concern. "Your faith in Lady Morgana is admirable, if misplaced."

"Oh and I suppose this all means that I should trust you instead," said Arthur drily.

"Arthur, you are the true heir to Camelot, not Morgana," said Morgause in a firm voice. "You need to fight for your former position, not let her walk all over you."

"I don't believe that she is the person you describe, but if she does want the throne so much, she can have it," said Arthur. "I never wanted it, and you only want me as king so you can be queen."

"What of your duty Arthur?" said Morgause challengingly. "Together we could make the kingdom a better place for all; Morgana is the mirror image of your father, save perhaps that she is more charming. She could keep the peace, but she will not make Camelot great."

"Whatever you're trying to make me do, it won't work," said Arthur angrily. "Morgana is annoying at times with her 'oh so superior' attitude, but she is like my sister, and I won't stand for your insults against her."

"Believe what you want, but don't –" began Morgause, but she quickly fell silent. Something was wrong; she could feel it in her gut.

"Do you hear that?" said Morgause quietly as she reigned in her horse.

"No," said Arthur. "Is this some sort of trick?"

"That's exactly it, my Prince," said Morgause as she drew her sword. "There is no sound at all."

"Stay back then, I'll protect-," began Arthur. But as soon as he said those words, a grey shadow lunged out from the darkness, knocking him off his horse.

Morgause cursed as she got a good look at the creature; it was a Cockatrice. The fangs of the creature were as long as knives; instruments whose sole purpose was to do as much bodily harm as they could with each bite. The eyes of the beast were as gold, with one single black slit in the middle; it was almost enough to transfix her. Superstitious peasants believed that it's very gaze could turn a man to stone, but fortunately it wasn't as dangerous as they claimed. Still, one single scratch of its claws or teeth, and you would be doomed; Arthur's plate armour was the only thing keeping him alive.

Morgause reached for her basic instincts of survival; she anchored herself to a tree nearby with her mind, and reached out with her other hand towards the beast. In her mind's eye, she imagined it being drawn towards her anchor. The two opposing forces threatened to tear her own body apart, but Morgause grimaced and held on. The beast was torn from the ground and flung several feet into the air before Morgause released it, letting it fall to the ground.

The Prince was back on his feet immediately, circling the beast and waiting for an opening. Morgause took advantage of the beast's tunnel vision; as it turned its back to her, she summoned her powers again, strengthen her own natural prowess. With near supernatural speeds, she leapt forwards, driving the blade deep into the creature's side with a single stroke.

The beast writhed in pain, and Morgause quickly withdrew, least the monster graze her with its deadly claws. Instead of letting it die slowly however, Arthur lunged forwards and beheaded the beast with a single stroke. Even so, the beast kept moving, as if it's primitive brain did not realise that it was supposed to be dead. For all his flaws, she had to admit that Arthur was a skilled swordsman.

"That was lucky," said Arthur as he struggled to get air back into his lungs. "I wonder what made it back off me like that?"

"Perhaps your feeble kicks weren't as weak as they looked?" replied Morgause as she sheathed her longsword.

"Impressive, you can even phrase your compliments as insults," said Arthur sarcastically. "Can't you at least pretend to be polite?"

"I leave it for when I'm at court; all I care about right now is keeping you alive," said Morgause dismissively. "Come, we are close and should continue on foot."

The two of them continued onwards, leading their horses by the reins. Morgause would have abandoned the beasts all together if it was her choice, but they would need them to get back to Camelot in time. The sorceress had a feeling that Morgana would not be overly pleased if they arrived too late; it would be unwise to jeopardize a possible alliance so early on.

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><p>Morgana paced about in her chambers, her mind thinking furiously as to how to get Arthur out of the position he was in. If he was incarcerated on his return, Merlin would be dead anyway. She needed to find some way to intercept him before Uther got to him.<p>

"M'lady?" said Gwen softly as she announced her presence. "There's a maid outside who wishes to see you. She says she has news for your ears alone."

Morgana quickly plastered a smile onto her face as she turned to face Gwen. A maid who came to see her? Certainly it wasn't a message from any of the lords; no one employed maids to send messages.

"Send her in Gwen," said Morgana after a moment of consideration. "She's piqued my curiosity."

Her maid bowed and left; it did not take long for her to return with a rather pretty girl in tow. Morgana instantly noted some details that seemed off about this 'maid'. Her hair was neatly combed, suggesting that this woman had time to look after her personal appearance. As she walked, she swayed seductively, much like a lady at court would. No doubt she was used to using her looks to manipulate the minds of others into viewing her differently. Her very presence seemed to have an air of authority; Morgana knew that whoever this was, she was certainly no maid.

"My lady," said the woman graciously as she curtsied. "My name is Cara; I was wondering if you could spare me some of your time?"

"Of course Cara," said Morgana as she smiled. Well, at least this 'maid' was not used to pretending to be a servant; no commoner would say 'my lady'; they lacked the education to understand that it was actually two words instead of one. Even Gwen still slipped back into saying 'm'lady' every now and again, despite Morgana having corrected her on many different occasions. "What did you have in mind?"

"I've been worried about the way my mistress has been acting," said Cara. Her voice was smooth, as if she was completely unconcerned.

"Your mistress?" asked Morgana. "Who is she?"

"Forgive me for not clarifying; she is the Lady Morgause," said Cara.

"Has she done something that concerns you?" asked Morgana.

"With all due respect my lady, but perhaps we should converse in private?" asked Cara with a pointed glance at Gwen.

Morgana nodded at Gwen to give her consent for Cara's suggestion; even if Cara had ill intents towards her, it was nothing that she could not handle with her powers. Gwen displayed a flash of incredulity before curtseying once and leaving. Seems like Gwen was not happy with her order; unfortunate, but keeping her out of all this was for her own good.

"I've been watching my mistress, and it seems to more and more that she seeks the throne of Camelot for herself," said Cara.

"That much is obvious to me," said Morgana with a laugh. "But she doesn't know how far from grace Arthur has fallen in recent times; he will never become king. I doubt you came here to warn me however."

"Do not underestimate the Lady Morgause; she would not hesitate to act against you to ensure that Arthur becomes the heir once more," said Cara.

"Perhaps that is so, but why are you telling me all of this?" asked Morgana curiously. The woman had raised several important questions, but of course she did not know of Uther's intention for her sister. Still, it would not hurt to make some preparations, just in case that her sister was planning to move against her so soon.

"My first loyalty is towards King Cenred, and he would be most displeased if he knew that if the Lady Morgause was working towards her own gains rather than his own," said Cara.

Morgana doubted that this 'Cara', or whatever her real name may be, would work for anyone but herself; surely someone who was so brazen would not be suited to serve as Cenred's eyes and ears .

"And now you seek to advance Cenred's interest over that of your mistress?" said Morgana. "That's very loyal of you; he's lucky to have such a trustworthy servant."

"I seek only to serve my king; and if I can protect a noble person such as yourself from harm, all the better," said Cara with a bow. Morgana was almost tempted to laugh out loud at the unabashed attempt at flattery; it may have worked on men with over inflated sense of self worth, but it would certainly not move her at all. This woman was obviously not used to using subtly to achieve her goals.

"Come, sit down and have a drink," said Morgana as she motioned towards her table, where a small jug of wine awaited. A normal servant would have reacted uncomfortably at this suggestion, but Cara complied, as if her hospitality was a given for someone of her station. Morgana watched curiously as she subtly tested the wine with a small sniff. It was interesting how this 'servant' would react instinctively to test for poison; she had to be someone important once, else she would not have this habit. Morgana would give a great deal to know the real identity of the person before her.

"Now, tell me what you have in mind, Cara," commanded Morgana as she sat down next to her.

"It is unfortunate, but to ensure that Lady Morgause does not gain the throne, we must destroy the basis of the alliance," said Cara.

"You're implying that we break the peace?" asked Morgana. "That would certainly put an end to Arthur's marriage."

"I can ride back to Essetir immediately, and the King will surely rally up arms when he learns what my mistress is trying to accomplish behind his back," said Cara. "His grip on the kingdom isn't firm, and he will be afraid that his people would push for peace once they learn that Uther has proposed for a marriage alliance."

Morgana listened with interest as she took 'Cara's' words. She had revealed that her king never wished for peace in the first place; either she was one rather incompetent spy, or more likely, never cared for Cenred's agendas in the first place.

"I suppose he'll want to raze a village or two to prove his point," said Morgana with a sigh. "Men are often so barbaric; couldn't he just write a letter to reject the peace proposal?"

"Unfortunately, my king believes that actions speak louder than words; but surely it's a small price to pay to ensure your own safety?" said Cara. "To prevent open war, I'll ensure that he targets a village who's allegiance is vague... Ealdor perhaps?"

"Ealdor?" asked Morgana sharply without thinking. "I believe that village is on Essetir's side of the borders."

"My mistake, my lady," said Cara smoothly, but she could not conceal her satisfaction behind her mask. Morgana narrowed her eyes as she spotted the twitch around the other woman's lips, along with the satisfaction in her eyes. This woman was here to learn about Merlin! There was only one conclusion she could come to; Cara had to be the one who poisoned him.

"A small village near the border is no great loss," said Morgana as she thought furiously about what she should do next; she needed to buy as much time as possible while she plotted her next course of action. "But surely you could have gone and warned your king without coming to see me?"

"I believe that once you are on the throne, my king would see the benefit of peace with Camelot," said Cara. "I thought it would be impolite to launch an assault on your future kingdom without informing you first; it could jeopardize any future peace treaties."

"And why would he not seek peace with Camelot as it currently is?" asked Morgana; she hoped that this Cara would not see past the smokescreen she was setting up around herself. This woman was no doubt dangerous; she could even be another sorceress. It was best to play along with her for now, and strike when her back was turned.

"Let's just say my King has some irreconcilable differences with King Uther," said Cara, seemingly unaware of Morgana's thoughts.

"Very well, return to your king and tell him that he has my blessing to go ahead and raid one, and one only, village at the edge of Camelot's borders," said Morgana in an impassive voice. "No more, or he could risk open war with Camelot."

"I'm sure his grace will exercise proper restraint," said Cara with a bow. "May I take my leave now, my lady?"

Morgana nodded her consent, and Cara quickly withdrew from her chambers. As soon as she had left, Morgana immediately called in Gwen; she had no time to waste. Whoever this Cara was had gotten the information she wanted, and she could not be allowed to live.

"May I ask-" began Gwen, but Morgana cut her short.

"Find the nearest guardsmen, and tell him to come to me at once," said Morgana urgently. "You have no time to waste!"

As her maid left once more, Morgana had some time to ponder her course of action. She had to pray that her plan would work; she doubted she would get another chance if it somehow failed. She did have the initiative for now, but how long would that last?

"Is everything alright m'lady?" asked a guard from outside her chambers. "Your maid asked me to come."

Morgana walked up to the double doors and opened them to address the guard personally. This was no time to adhere to court formalities. To her disappointment, the guard was barely more than a boy; she could only hope that he would be capable enough to carry out her orders.

"I need you to go and give my orders to the captain of the guard. Tell him to seal off the palace immediately," said Morgana in an imperious voice; now was not the time to seem like a lady. "Once you have done that, find Lady Morgause's entourage and kill them all."

"Kill them all?" asked the guard in a horrified voice. "But why?"

"One of her servants is dangerous; I have reports that she is a sorceress," said Morgana frustratedly. "Now go and do as I command."

"But surely we don't need to kill them all if only one is a sorceress-," began the man, but Morgana cast a withering look that made him fall silent.

"Do you want me to draw you a picture of said sorceress?" said Morgana scornfully. "Do as I command, or the king will not be as kind to you as I have."

As the guard hurriedly left to do her bidding, Morgana felt a strange calm descend over her. She had played her hand; now all she could do was wait.

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><p>Nimueh walked calmly towards the courtyard, unaware that there was anything wrong. So the heiress to Camelot knew about the warlock in the first place! Not only that, but she even cared about him; why else would she know of some insignificant village in the middle of nowhere? This could mean only one of two things; either she had to have powers of her own, or she sympathized for those with the gift of sorcery. Such an ironic turn of fate, that Uther's own beloved ward had sided with his bitter enemies; it was such a pity that she had sided with the wrong sorcerer.<p>

Suddenly, without warning, a sharp pain cut through her body as someone pushed a sword through her back, the blade glistering red with her blood. She gasped out for air as the man pulled out the blade. If she had been any other person, no doubt she would be dead already; but she had mastered the secret of immortality, ascending to a state near godhood. She turned around slowly with a smile on her face. The horrified guard could only watch helplessly as the wound in her chest slowly healed of its own accord, leaving not a trace at all.

"Foolish boy," Nimueh said with a smile on her face. She reached out with her powers and pushed the man back until he was pinned to the wall with the force of her mind. "Now tell me, who sent you?"

"Please, don't kill me," stuttered the guard; men like him were all the same, brave when they could stab you in the back, but they turned into grovelling fools when you faced them directly.

"Who sent you?" demanded Nimueh as she narrowed her gaze. "I won't ask you again..."

"The Lady Morgana told us about you! That's all I know, I swear!" cried the guard.

"Thank you for your honestly," said Nimueh. She had underestimated the girl after all; apparently she has seen through her ruse, and now she thought that her position was under threat. Nimueh almost admired her for her decisiveness.

"So you'll let me go right? I gave you the information you wanted!" said the guard with an edge of panic in her voice.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" said Nimueh calmly as she intensified the force on the guard; she had to counter push on the wall behind her. There was a satisfying crack as the man's skull shattered under the force she applied, leaving a gruesome mess behind. She watched with satisfaction as the remains of the man fell to the ground, all the while considering her next course of action.

She wanted to visit Morgana and have a little conversation with her; unfortunately that would have to wait. She knew that Morgana had somehow convinced Morgause to help her find the cure for Merlin, and she could not allow that cure to reach the warlock. Time was of the essence, and even she could not stand against the full force of Camelot's army.

Without a further thought, she walked hurriedly towards the castle gates, easily dispatching the guards present. Someone had increased the guard presence; unfortunately for them, it was still not enough. She walked up to the barred gates and smiled as she saw the heavy wooden beam that barred the gates. However, the gates were meant to keep people out, not in. While an ordinary human might not be able to lift such a heavy piece of wood out of place, she was anything but ordinary. She focused her intent, making herself far stronger than she ordinarily was and easily lifted the piece of wood out of the way. Her way to freedom now clear, she quickly slipped into the city, leaving only her victims' crushed bodies behind.

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><p><strong>AN: **Again, sorry for the late updates; lots of research coupled with a saddening amount of assignments IRL have made for the long delay. If I had published on time, I'm sure I could have written some ramble about Morgana being at Merlin's bedside helping him stay strong, but I certainly wouldn't read it, and I'm sure you wouldn't either! With any luck, the next chapter will be out by next week or so; it should be much easier now that I've set up all their plans.

Please shoot me a review if you have the time; I won't bite, promise!


	16. Dragon's Peril V: No Return

**Chapter 16: Dragon's Peril V: Point of No Return**

**Author's Note: **I'd like to thank all my readers, as I've passed the 100 review mark! Thank you to all of you, and I hope you continue to enjoy my fic! (Despite all the massive delays!) I blame it on the unfair amount of coursework I'm getting right now. Not to mention that I have final exams coming up in a few weeks. As always, I love all your reviews, and I hope you continue to take some time out of your day to give me one :).

P.S Thank you to theladyofice for pushing me to write faster! This chapter would probably be delayed some more if she did not.

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><p>"So we were close you say?" said Arthur in an irritable voice. "We've been walking for hours already, and it seems like we're getting nowhere fast."<p>

"All that means is that you have no eye for detail," said Morgause in an amiable tone. "Personally I'm surprised we haven't been attacked by some other creature; even the horses are making less noise than you."

"Funny, that almost sounds like something Morgana would say," said Arthur sarcastically. "You hurl around criticism without looking in the mirror."

"Well unlike you, I don't make an effort to snap every twig on the forest floor, and nor do I complain when it doesn't change anything," said Morgause. "I'd recommend you stay quiet and keep a lookout for danger instead."

"If you think it's so easy to walk quietly, why you don't try walking around a forest in metal boots," grumbled Arthur. Still, the boy kept quiet, allowing Morgause some peace of mind.

They walked for several more minutes in silence, or as close to silence as they could get, but eventually Morgause called for a halt.

"Why are we stopping now?" asked Arthur with a hint of alarm in his voice. "Is something wrong?"

"The light of the day is fading; it is unwise to travel in these woods in the night," said Morgause.

"So we're just going to rest for the night?" said Arthur incredulously. "What, are you afraid of the dark?"

"Not the dark no, but the creatures that lurk within," said Morgause.

"I'm not afraid of the creatures; if they come to me, I will slay them," said Arthur disdainfully.

"Only a fool seeks confrontations when it is unnecessary," retorted Morgause. "Even if you do manage to defeat these beasts, you would never find what you are looking for without being able to see well. Caves are not easy to spot in the dark."

"Fine, we'll set up camp here," said Arthur in an exasperated voice. "But mark my words; if Merlin ends up dead, you can forget about your future place as a queen."

"Your concern for your servant is touching," said Morgause in a mocking voice. "I'm sure he'll be so extremely grateful."

"He saved my life once," said Arthur. "Of course, I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand the meaning of loyalty."

"Of course I understand it's meaning; I'm just far too intelligent to bind myself to any one person or cause," said Morgause impassively.

"I wonder how many friends you make with that attitude of yours?" asked Arthur.

"I can pretend to be loyal quite easily; I just have no need to do so with you," retorted Morgause. "Help me set up the camp; a fire will go a long way towards keeping the beasts away."

'And it'll be much easier to use that fire against them if it's necessary,' the sorceress thought to herself. Fire could not be created by magic, but existing fire was easy to manipulate; perhaps it was nature's way of limiting the power mortals could wield.

Arthur growled softly at her request, but he did as he was told. It did not take long for him to set up a warm blaze in the middle of a small clearing.

"I'll take the first watch," said Arthur. "I'm not tired yet, and you look like you're about to drop dead on your feet."

"I could keep going for days if needed," said Morgause dismissively. Never the less, she accepted his offer of rest; the powers she had used earlier that day, coupled with the long night of riding without sleep had left her drained. Sleep was a weapon that could be deadlier than any weapon or even spell. Still, she was not one to admit her weaknesses to anyone, though she soon drifted off into an uneasy rest.

_It was the guest chamber she stayed at in Camelot; the walls were splattered with blood of the escort Cenred had sent with her. The image shifted to a dark Cave; there, on a steep rock wall, grew one single plant: The Mortaeus Flower. Yet this flower was covered with blood. A final flash of light showed her the image of the high priestess herself, smiling over the unmoving body of Arthur's manservant._

Morgause snapped her eyes open and tried to burn the visions into her mind, lest she forget some small detail. She was uneasy about the fate of her escort; Uther must have decided to turn on her. Of greater interest however was why a sorceress as powerful as Nimueh try to kill some servant. The only conclusion she could come up with was that the boy himself had some measure of power, but why would he be content being a _manservant_ if that was the case? She sighed and tried to rest again; whatever it was, there was nothing she could do about her visions while she was stuck in the middle of nowhere. One thing was certain however; if Nimueh wanted the boy dead, then she would stop at nothing to ensure that she achieves her goal. Which meant that it was only a matter of time the sorceress came to find her.

* * *

><p>Morgana's eyes were empty as she watched Merlin breath his shallow breaths by his bedside. The smell of Gaius' herbs and disinfectants combined with the stench of rot to create a rather offputting stench. Morgana barely noticed it however as she gazed at the warlock with a mixture of admiration and confusion. What made the fool decided to drink from the wine in the first place? If it was poisoned, like he believed, there was no reason to take the blow for Arthur. Did he have no sense of self preservation?<p>

Officially, she was here because she had fabricated some story about how the sorceress had almost killed her; the 'shock' meant that she needed some medicine to calm her nerves down. No one else except Gwen knew that this was not the case; they were all dead. Morgana could only count herself lucky that the sorceress did not return to finish the job. Uther bought it all too easily; no doubt he was enraged that a sorceress had actually managed to infiltrate his beloved palace. Of course, he covered it all up with a facade that he was concerned for her wellbeing; as if the man cared about anyone except himself.

"How long does he have?" asked Morgana in a steady voice; even though she considered Gaius one of the few people she could rely on, she could not appear weak. She would be a fool if she trusted anyone enough to drop her mask.

"I've done what I can to ease his pains, but the poison cannot be stopped my arts," said the physician. "We can only hope Arthur returns in time... though I fear that sending Lady Morgause may have put him in danger."

"You presume too much physician," said Morgana in a chastising tone. "Yes, her servant may have been a sorcerer, but that does not mean the ambassador knew about it."

"I pray that you are right," said Gaius heavily. "If not, Merlin won't be long for this world."

"Do not underestimate him, he's stronger than he looks," said Morgana in a dismissive tone. Unfortunately for her, she did not know who she was trying to convince: the physician or herself. She stood up to leave; staying by his side would achieve nothing. Still, an irrational part of her wanted to remain at his side, regardless of how useless it would be.

"I need to go," said Morgana. "The deaths of Morgause's entourage needs to be covered up, least we trigger a major diplomatic disaster."

"Of course my lady," said the physician with a bow. "I'm sure the king will appreciate your advice on the matter."

As Morgana entered the throne room, the king put on a smile to greet her and she was forced to respond in kind; the king might be able to wear a believable mask, but hers had always been better. One day she would no longer need to wear it, but for now, she still had to pretend to be Uther's loyal ward and heir. Oh how she would rejoice on the day when Uther finally realised that he had been outplayed all along.

"Morgana, I hope you're feeling better," said Uther in a sickeningly soft voice. If she didn't know better, she would almost think that he cared.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Grace. Gaius is a capable physician; my mind is much clearer now that I have been to see him," responded Morgana in a carefully toned voice.

"I'm glad to hear it; I already have a plan in mind for dealing with Cenred's ambassador, but I would like to hear your opinion on it first," said Uther, returning to his usual overbearing tone.

"I believe that she had nothing to do with this sorceress," said Morgana calmly. "The fact that she left the night before the attack only enforces my feelings; she would not be foolish enough to break her cover like that."

"Indeed," said Uther. "Still, it could simply mean that she was incompetent. Should we take the chance and let her live when she may try to harm us again?"

"If she wanted to use this sorceress to kill you, she would have tried before now," said Morgana confidently. "It is more likely that this sorceress simply fooled everyone, including Cenred and his ambassador."

"How did you discover her identity in the first place?" asked Uther curiously.

"One of my servants spied her performing her twisted rites," said Morgana as she quickly thought of a plausible lie on the spot. "We were lucky that she was so careless."

"A pity that she escaped, but she did command considerable knowledge of her dark arts..." said Uther in a worried voice. "Still, she won't be able to hide forever."

"So what do you intend to do about Cenred's ambassador?" asked Morgana as she quickly changed the subject.

"She may or may not have been involved in this; either way, I cannot afford to take the chance," said Uther. "I will have some men dress up as bandits, and when she returns from her foolhardy quest with Arthur, we'll kill her and capture Arthur."

"Cenred is a paranoid man, he will suspect treachery from us. Reports indicate that he is also rather fond of his ambassador," said Morgana carefully. "He is not a rational man, and may even go to war over this; I believe it would be unwise to act so rashly, your Grace."

"Then what do you suggest?" asked Uther curiously. "You clearly have put some thought into this already."

"An enemy exposed is not an enemy we have to fear; if she did intend to use this sorceress against us, then she has already been played her hand, and we have won," said Morgana. "Once we capture them both, we could keep her in our court and keep an eye on her every move. Then we delay this marriage alliance indefinitely, and we could prevent the threat of war while keeping a rather useful hostage at our side."

"Since you seem to have everything planned out, I assume you have an idea of who we should assign this task to?" asked Uther with a smile.

"I don't see why we should assign this task to anyone; I will personally capture Arthur and bring him before you," said Morgana confidently. "I know all his weaknesses, and I'm sure I can bring him back without any necessary bloodshed."

"You never cease to amaze me," said Uther with a hint of admiration in his voice. No doubt it was faked; Morgana guess that he had already entertained the very same idea in his head. Uther was arrogant, but he was not a fool; he simply knew how to play the admirer as well as the King. "Most women are more interested in finding a loving man to take her hand instead of politics."

"You do not know what 'most women' truly desire then," said Morgana simply, as if the very notion was laughable.

"I fear you will the lords will show you no love when you do ascend to power," said Uther with a chuckle. "They do not like the idea of a woman who they cannot bend to their will."

"I do not need their love, and one way other the other, they will fall in line" said Morgana with a sparkle in her eyes.

Uther said nothing, but by the look of his eyes, Morgana could almost swear that he was bursting to say something. Whatever it was, she could easily tell that it was something she could use against him, if only he'd just say it out aloud.

* * *

><p>Arthur woke with a start as something poked him sharply in the stomach; he immediately reached for his sword, only to find that it was not where he had left it. He froze as he felt a blade rest gently next to his jugular; above him, he saw Morgause wielding <em>his<em> sword with a smile on her face. He tried to think of a way to get out of his current situation, but could come up with no options. So instead, he simply chose to glare at the woman while he tried to think of something intelligent to say.

"You're not a light sleeper, Prince Arthur," remarked Morgause casually. "I suppose you are used to relying on your men to ensure your own safety."

"Well obviously I couldn't rely on you," said Arthur. "I should never have trusted you in the first place."

To his great surprise, Morgause lifted the blade and motioned for him to rise. The prince watched warily as he got to his feet; what did she have in mind now?

"You trusting me was exactly why I had to do this in the first place," said Morgause calmly as she inspected his sword.

"Why would you not want me to trust you?" asked Arthur confusedly. To the Prince, this was getting more confusing by the minute.

"Consider it a lesson in ruling; never trust anyone," said Morgause. "Those around you will try to use your trust to their own benefit; if you do not wish to become a puppet of your 'subjects', you must never trust them, at least not unless you hold some leverage to use against them should they turn against you."

"So I'm supposed to think that people I like are going to stab me in the back whenever I cease to benefit them?" asked Arthur sarcastically.

"It's certainly better than trusting them and getting betrayed, isn't it?" said Morgause with a tip of her head. "You must appear to trust them openly, but keep in mind that every one of them is a snake, waiting for you to fall and strike." She sheathed the sword and handed it back to him.

"We are close to our destination; douse that camp fire and prepare the horses. We need to get back to Camelot soon if you want your manservant to stay alive," said Morgause.

Arthur did not move, he eyed the woman with an eagle like gaze for a few seconds, still unable to decide what she was really after.

"What made you so bitter, Lady Morgause?" asked Arthur at last. "What are you really after?"

"Let's just say some of us had to learn life's lessons the hard way," said Morgause, her icy blue eyes as cold as they always were.

Arthur sighed and moved to douse the fire; he obviously wasn't going to get any real answers today.

* * *

><p>Nimueh watched from a distance as the unlikely pair moved towards the cave entrance that contained the one thing that could save the warlock. The fools would not only inadvertently bring about the end of not only those with magic, but subjugation of all men and women on this earth.<p>

Morgause was no doubt too far gone in her quest for power to see reason now; she would have to kill them both if she wanted to ensure that Merlin died, as he was supposed to. No doubt that both Cenred and Uther would believe that one had turned on the other once they realise that neither would return. Unfortunately for the two kingdoms, neither of them could afford to look weak to their people, and so they will no doubt declare war on one another, least they lose their precarious grips on their respective kingdoms. It was no great loss; in another generation most of the damage would be undone anyway.

A sharp pain in her back interrupted her thoughts, almost causing her to double over in shock. It was the wound inflicted by that soldier; it should have healed completely, but she had gone for too long without the life force of another. Magic was balance, and for every life that was saved, a life had to be claimed. If the situation was not so dire, she would have already claimed that life and would not be plagued by this weakness. There was still time, but the sooner she completed her task, the better.

The sorceress put the pain towards the back of her mind and continued onwards to the cave that held the Mortaeus flower; Arthur Pendragon was doomed to fail, for both his objective and his doom was linked. The only person who could stop her now was Morgause, and even in her weakened state, Nimueh believed that the other sorceress would be no match for her.

* * *

><p>Though the cracks of dawn's light has only just begun to filter through the castle, Morgana was already up, walking towards the knight's chambers with a purposeful gleam in her eyes. In days past, the guards would have questioned her, and perhaps even forcefully escorted her back to her own chambers. But now she was the heir to the throne of Camelot, and no one would dare to do something so foolish as to offend their future sovereign.<p>

"My lady," said a middle aged man who moved to join her as she walked onwards to her objective. His clothes were that of a rich man; no doubt he was some lord or other who wished to curry favour with her. "You look especially lovely this morning."

"You flatter me, my Lord," said Morgana with a smile plastered on her face. "So what brings you here? Surely you did not come just to compliment me." While those who sought to gain her favour by playing the sycophant only managed to amuse her, outwardly she had to maintain the façade that she was still a spoiled girl who believed their every word. It was always prudent to appear less intelligent than you actually were; it could lead her enemies to underestimate her, and that may one day save her position, or her life.

"I heard about the King's decision to capture Prince Arthur; since he charged you with bringing him back, I would like to offer you my aid; perhaps you would allow me and my men to do the honour of bringing our wayward prince back to Camelot?" said the lord in an eager voice; Morgana made sure that her face remained blank.

"You should have spoken sooner, my Lord," said Morgana smoothly as she came up with something rather amusing to do with this man; he had dug a hole for himself already with his words. "I have already assigned some knights to bring Arthur back. But I'm sure there are other tasks you could fulfil."

"Ah, of course," said the man uncertainly; Morgana could barely hide her smile as she detected the fluster in the man's tone. Obviously he wanted to gain Uther's approval by bringing his son back and taking the credit for it. Now he was trapped in a corner after offering her his aid; he could not retract his offer. "My men will be at your disposal if you have any task you see fit to assign to them."

"Actually, I have a task in mind already," said Morgana as she watched the man with an eagled eyed gaze. "There have been reports of bandits harassing our villages near the borders; I want you to take your men, hunt them down, and destroy them. The Kingdom's laws must be upheld."

"Of-Of course," stuttered the man, who was trying very hard to keep the disappointment off his face. "I will make sure they leave at once." No doubt he'd prefer to leave the unpleasant task to the King's men rather than to use his own men and his gold to enforce the law. Morgana would not be surprised if this was the first time the man would be forced to spend his gold on upholding the kingdom instead of feuding with the other lords.

"I will take my leave of you then, my Lord," said Morgana in a cheerful voice. "I expect good news the next time I meet with you again."

"It was my pleasure to speak with you, my Lady," said the man with a bow. Morgana could only imagine the frustration the man was experiencing; in Morgana's mind, there was nothing more satisfying than forcing a selfish idiot into doing something for someone else's gain.

As the man left, she mused over the changes to her life ever since Merlin left. Only a few months ago, most nobles thought no more of her than an adornment. It bought her no small amount of pleasure to see the very same men simper before her now; while she still had to pretend she respected them, but things would change when she was queen. Those imbeciles had no place ruling a tavern, let alone a fiefdom. However, they would make for rather useful puppets when she ascended to the throne. These men believed they were players in the game, but in the end, they were all merely pieces. It was the ones who had always been wary of her that she would have to watch out for.

She finally reached the Knight's tower; the guards immediately bowed as they saw her approach. Morgana briefly wondered if they still argued amongst themselves about who would be the one to finally gain her affections, or if they had distanced themselves from her ever since she became the heir to the throne. She cast these idle thoughts aside as she walked up to the guard.

"Bring me Ser Lancelot," said Morgana authoritatively. "I have a task for him."

"I will give him your message immediately," said the Guard respectfully, before he hastily left to fulfil her orders. It was almost as if he was afraid of her; no doubt they did not know exactly what to make of her now. Keeping them guessing was a rather amusing game; Morgana did not like to be the predictable type.

It did not take long for Lancelot to come out and meet her; he was already fully dressed in his armour; she was rather surprised that he was up training this early, most other knights were not half as dedicated. Then again, all of the other knights were sons of lords instead of an orphaned boy who always had to look out for himself.

"We need to speak in private; follow me," commanded Morgana as she walked towards a more secluded part of the castle.

"I hope this is something I won't find distasteful," remarked Lancelot as he moved to follow her. It was odd, how this man who she could destroy with a snap of her fingers did not fear her at all, while swore the sons of the various lords would go stiff with anxiety every time she walked past them.

Once she had found a place that was out of earshot of the palace guards, Morgana turned and faced Lancelot. "I want you, and you alone, to go and find Arthur," the heiress said.

"You overestimate my abilities," said Lancelot with a laugh. "I know you don't have a high opinion of Arthur, but I do not believe I could reliably defeat him in single combat."

"Please Lancelot, use your mind for something other than to keep your blood pumping*," said Morgana with a playful laugh. "Do you really think I would send you alone if I wanted you to overpower Arthur by force?"

"Are you questioning my intelligence?" said Lancelot with a raised eyebrow.

"You questioned mine," said Morgana with a measured smile. "It's only fair if I question yours in return."

"So what do you want me to do even _if_ I somehow managed to find Arthur in the first place?" asked Lancelot. Morgana admired that in him; Arthur would not have been able to ignore the jab at his pride.

"Finding him will be the harder part of your mission; he is somewhere in the Forest of Balor. You should stay on the road to the forest and wait for Arthur when he returns," said Morgana in a commanding voice; all the playfulness was gone, for now.

"You know where he is?" asked Lancelot sharply.

"Of course I know where he is; I sent him there after all," said Morgana haughtily. "You'll soon learn that nothing important goes on around the palace without me knowing about it."

"Arrogance does not behove you, my Lady," said Lancelot disapprovingly.

"I've pretended to be humble for half my life; it gets a little tiring every now and again," said Morgana derisively. "Besides, where does a former mercenary learn of fancy words such as 'behove'?"

"Back to matter at hand," said Lancelot. Again, he was ignoring her veiled threat and focusing on the task at hand; Morgana didn't know whether she should be disappointed or not. "What do you expect me to do when I find Arthur?"

"Tell him I sent you and ask him to hand over the flower -," began Morgana, but Lancelot cut her off.

"What flower," asked Lancelot sharply. Morgana was impressed; very few people these days were willing to cut her off in mid-sentence. Either he lacked understanding of exactly how much power she had over him, or he simply did not fear her for reason she did not yet comprehend. She had the feeling it was the latter; Lancelot was many things, but he could not have been stupid if he had survived for so long on his own.

"Did anyone tell you it was rude to interrupt a lady?" asked Morgana amusedly.

"And you have not yet answered the question, my Lady," said Lancelot with a smile, seemingly unaffected by her charms.

"I suppose you weren't there to hear it in court," said Morgana after a moment of consideration. "The King believes that Arthur left to find the flower so he can save Merlin from his wounds."

"I thought Merlin was recovering well from his public lashing," said Lancelot with concern. "What happened?"

"This is not common knowledge, but someone poisoned Merlin's wounds," said Morgana quietly. "The physician said that the flower is the only thing that can stop the poison, and I believe him. That is why I sent Arthur to go and find the flower."

"So you need me to bring Arthur back because…" said Lancelot questioningly.

"I hope you realise that this would be much simpler if you just obeyed my orders," said Morgana with a hint of irritation in her voice. "Why are you so intent on knowing everything?"

"The more I know about a situation, the less chance I have of doing something stupid that could get me killed," answered Lancelot in a purposeful voice. "And I have a feeling that you don't want me dead, so it is in your best interests to give me the details I need."

"Fair enough," said Morgana with a shrug of her shoulders; even she had to concede to Lancelot on that point. "I need you to bring him back because Uther has ordered Arthur's incarceration; you need to take the flower before Uther throws him into the dungeons. I have a feeling it's going to be quite a while before Arthur sees the light of day again."

"You're Uther's ward and his heir," said Lancelot. "Why didn't you try to change his mind?"

"I already changed his mind; I convinced him not to kill Arthur. He should be thankful for small mercies," said Morgana. She noticed that her normally calm voice had become slightly defensive. This made her more annoyed with herself than the knight; she would not allow Lancelot, of all people, to get the better of her.

"Let me guess: the reason the King is so furious with Arthur is because he nearly lead an uprising against him. The very same uprising you manipulated him into undertaking," said Lancelot as he hardened his voice.

"The word 'manipulated' is filled with such negative connotations," said Morgana in a playful voice, though she narrowed her eyes, as if daring the Knight to challenge her. "I merely 'convinced' him that it would be in the best interests of the realm to act against Uther."

"So Arthur loses his place as crown prince, you become the heir to the throne, and now he's going to rot in a dungeon because you made it look like he acted against the King's wishes, instead of on _your_ wishes," said Lancelot accusingly. He was brave, she had to give him that; however, there was a thin line between bravery and stupidity, and she wasn't quite sure if the knight had crossed it or not.

"What do you want me to say?" said Morgana exasperatedly. "That I'm sorry? Because I'm not; the uprising would have succeeded if Arthur had listened to me. He did not, and therefore he paid the price."

"That still doesn't explain why you're the only one who ends up winning," said Lancelot. "No matter what happens, somehow you end up on top."

"I looked out for myself," said Morgana unapologetically. "I made sure that if Arthur was going down, I wasn't going to go with him. But I really don't see how this is relevant to the matter at hand."

"You sent him on this mission, despite knowing that the King would respond violently to any further act of rebellion, no matter how minor. Why?" asked Lancelot in a challenging voice.

Morgana tried to contain her irritation at his words; who was he to question her decisions? She forced herself to calm down; Lancelot was an intelligent man, he would eventually understand that she only did what needed to be done. However, a part of her wanted to take the easy route; to simply threaten to expose Lancelot to Uther if he did not do as she asked. She quenched that desire for now; she would leave that as her last option if the knight refused to listen to reason.

"If he did not go, Merlin would most certainly die, and that is not an option," said Morgana firmly. "If Arthur was here, I have no doubt he'd agree with me."

"You could have sent me," said Lancelot quietly. "Why didn't you do so?"

"If I had sent you, Lady Morgause would have no reason to go on this quest; I needed her to go to ensure that Arthur would succeed," said Morgana as she softened her voice. "Believe me, I would have sent you, but it was too dangerous."

"You trusted Arthur's life into the hands of Cenred's ambassador?" asked Lancelot with alarm. "Even if she did not decide to turn on him, how could she help him in any way?"

"She will do everything in her power to keep Arthur alive; after all, she wants to use him to secure the throne for herself," said Morgana dismissively. "As for her abilities, let's just say you should not underestimate her."

"There have been whispers among the knights; some say that you plotted to remove the prince… permanently," said Lancelot in a carefully modulated voice.

"I don't suppose you'd tell me who they were?" asked Morgana as a smile returned to her face. She was quite sure that her very public defence on Arthur's behalf would have quelled any potentially destructive rumours, but it appears they have not completely gone away.

"Why, so you can silence them?" asked Lancelot. Clearly he hadn't read the unwritten rulebook; nobody spoke directly in political circles. Maybe she'd have to teach him that sometime so he didn't get himself killed.

"No, but I think it would do them some good if they had something to do instead of gossiping like old women," said Morgana casually. "Perhaps manning our northern borders will suffice."

"Somehow, you seem quite certain that I don't believe in these rumours," said Lancelot warily.

"I simply believe that you wouldn't be stupid enough to believe in such things; that and you wouldn't have told me about these rumours if you did believe in them yourself," said Morgana glibly.

The truth of the matter was that she did not know exactly what to think of the knight; however, she could not expect him to follow her orders if she acted as if he was her enemy. One had to at least pretend to trust in others to get them to obey. And if she seemed to have faith in Lancelot, it would probably go a long way towards assuaging his doubts.

"Very well; I'll agree to do this for you, as long as you can promise me that you will do everything in your power to protect Arthur when he returns," said Lancelot.

"You'll just have to trust me on this," said Morgana, and noticed with satisfaction as the Knight gave her a subtle nod. "When you find Arthur, tell him I was worried about his wellbeing. Inform him that Merlin needs the flower as soon as possible, and that you could get it to him faster than he can due to your relative anonymity."

"You want me to leave out the fact that Uther is going to imprison him? Care to explain why?" asked Lancelot with a raised eyebrow.

"How about no?" replied Morgana in her sweetest voice. This was the crucial test; would Lancelot do as she asked, or would be prove himself to be a liability.

"Fine, you can get yourself another knight and reveal the fact that you care enough about Merlin to do something for him," said Lancelot with a hard gaze in his eyes.

"You're playing a dangerous game Lancelot," said Morgana with a sparkle in her eyes. If Merlin wasn't in mortal danger, she would even have enjoyed this conversation.

"I just want the truth," said Lancelot. "Is that really so hard?"

"The truth is overrated," said Morgana dismissively. "But we do not have much time, so I'll oblige this time; if you did tell him, he'd expect the arrest, which would make it seem like he has someone on the inside. That would be very unfortunate for him, and if Uther does any serious digging, he might discover that we were behind it; we cannot allow that to happen. He must act surprised, and since this is Arthur we're talking about, he actually has to be genuinely surprised to fool Uther."

Of course, every word that she had just said was lie. Arthur would not expect a warm welcome back anyway; even he was not that dull. But if Lancelot did as she asked, then he would prove himself to her; someone that she could … trust. It was a foreign word indeed; if he did not, it would not end well for him.

"So you're just covering your tracks then?" said Lancelot. "Letting Arthur take the blame while you escape unscathed?"

"Like I said, I look out for myself; if he had listened to me, he would not have to take any part of the blame at all," replied Morgana in a deadly serious voice. "Lancelot, think of it this way; if you do not go, then Merlin will most likely die. Is that really what you want?"

"I'll go, but we'll talk more about this when I get back," said Lancelot at last. He turned to march towards the stables, and Morgana breathed a sigh of relief. Lancelot was really her only hope of saving Merlin without having to expose a link between her and Merlin. With one final glance at the knight's direction, she turned to walk back to her chambers. She had done all she could for Merlin; now it was up to the men to come through on their parts. Unfortunately, that did not fill her with confidence at all.

* * *

><p>Morgause lead the way ahead as Arthur trudged along behind her; she had given up on trying to force him to walk silently. It had as much effect as smashing her head against a brick wall. For a moment, she allowed herself to wonder what would have happened to her if she was born into privilege, as Arthur was. Would she as be naïve and foolish as him? She crushed that chain of thought quickly; it was pointless to think of what could have been. In many ways, she counted her exile to be a blessing rather than curse; what was the point of being born into power if one did not know how to use it correctly?<p>

She abruptly emerged into a clearing, with a crack in the otherwise solid rock wall ahead. She quickly put her hand up to stop Arthur before he did anything stupid.

"Why are we stopping?" asked Arthur as he moved up beside her. "If the flower is in that cave, we need to press forwards. Time is of the essence here."

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I've had a feeling we're being watched," said Morgause carefully. She had seen no such thing with her own eyes of course, but her dream the night before was a forewarning, and she was not foolish enough to ignore it.

"Don't be foolish; nobody could have followed us here all the way from Camelot," said Arthur dismissively. "How would they even know where we're headed?"

"How about the person who poisoned your servant?" said Morgause as she rolled her eyes in frustration. "It's always better to overestimate your enemies than to underestimate them. Keep that in mind if you ever hope to lead anything."

"So what do you suggest we do?" asked Arthur exasperatedly, no doubt deliberately ignoring her second statement.

"I'll stay out here with the horses and watch for anyone who comes," said Morgause. "You press on ahead and find that flower; it shouldn't be too hard to spot."

"Afraid of the dark, are you?" asked Arthur with a smirk.

"I'm sure a few insects won't be a problem for a warrior like you; the one who is on our tail is something far more dangerous," retorted Morgause.

"Whatever you say," said Arthur as he walked slowly into the cave, his voice fading as he did so. "Ever consider that you might just be overly paranoid?"

Morgause quickly slipped into a covered spot, hiding in the shadows of the cave as she waited for the one who was hunting her. She knew Nimueh had to be close; she was not one to leave a task unfinished.

Without warning, a shadow in distance suddenly moved in the corner of her eye; Morgause immediately focused on the source of momevent as fast as she could, but the shadow became a blur, accelerating towards her position almost faster than her eyes could follow. She drew on her own powers to try and compensate; time seemed to slow around her as her focused intent enhanced her natural reflexes, but the shadow was still many times faster than she could ever hope to be. If she faced Nimueh head on, the other sorceress would be able to snap her spine in half without breaking a sweat. It was not an acceptable outcome, but she could not think of any tactics that could her now. Morgause suddenly cleared her head; she didn't need to think about tactics, none of it would help her now. She needed to change her strategy; fortunately, there was more than one battlefield she could fight on.

"Greetings, high Priestess," said Morgause as she put on her best smile and walked out into the light. "Your arrival here is unexpected, though not altogether unwelcome."

The shadow halted abruptly in front of her, and Morgause could finally see the face of Nimueh; they had never been allies so to speak; they simply had a common enemy in Uther. Unfortunately, it was now clear to Morgause that Nimueh had lost sight of their shared goal.

"Don't take this personally Morgause," said Nimueh calmly as she took a step forwards. "You acted against my interests by protecting Arthur Pendragon-"

"Protecting?" said Morgause with a smile. "I went with him on another's behalf, although now that you're here, that has to come to an end. I'm not foolish enough to challenge you."

"I'm listening…" said Nimueh with a bored look on her face; while she appeared to be tranquil, but Morgause knew that she was anything but relaxed. One wrong twitch of her lips, or a flash in her eyes that revealed something unintended, and she would be dead. Fortunately for herself, she had always been a very good liar.

"The Lady Morgana and I had a plan to shift the balance of power in Camelot; she needed Arthur dead. If he remained alive, then her place on the throne remained uncertain; Arthur still has the support of many of the lesser lords," said Morgause calmly.

"Then why have you not killed him already?" asked Nimueh suspiciously.

"I simply wanted to see what kind of person Arthur is," said Morgause nonchalantly. "If he had any ambition at all, then it may be beneficial for me to keep him alive as leverage over the Lady Morgana. Of course the boy has proved himself woefully inadequate in that regard."

"And what would you gain from siding _with _Uther's ward?" asked Nimueh with half a smile; she was obviously not buying the story yet.

"In return for helping her dispose of Arthur, she would restore me to my birthright; the lands that formerly belonged to Lord Gorlois," said Morgause. "Normally I would not trust someone on their word, but for my sister, I'll make an exception."

"You father was Gorlois?" said Nimueh, her normally calm voice betraying a hint of surprise. Morgause was glad that she kept this little detail secret until now; the best lies were always littered with half-truths.

"Think about it; what better way is there to punish Uther for his crimes than to first take away his son, then having his beloved ward take away his throne, his power, and his pride?" asked Morgause.

"That's all very convincing," said Nimueh with a smile; that was not good. Nimueh knew something she did not, and it could very well mean the death of her. "But that doesn't explain why your sister is so concerned about Arthur's manservant. She couldn't even bear the thought of allowing Cenred to sack that miserable village the boy is from."

This was not good; Morgause drew on her powers subtly again, calming herself while also allowing her instincts to take over a small part of her mind. The spells powered by instinct were extremely versatile. By slowing down time, one could study all the options available without having to make an overly hasty move. Most importantly of all in her case, it allowed one to think faster. It gave her a precious few seconds to formulate her response, seconds that would have exposed her for a liar. Serenity itself was another weapon that powered other magical forces; a very useful aspect was that it allowed one to see things more clearly, uninhibited by emotions or other unneeded constrains that limited so many other mortals.

"I thought you knew everything there was to know about that boy, given that you are trying to kill him," said Morgause after what seemed like a few seconds of deliberation, though in reality it seemed that she had responded nearly instantly. "He's Lady Morgana's informant; he reports on Arthur's every move, and keeps an eye out for any rumours that may hurt her. She keeps a tight hold over him by keeping the boy's family hostage. If you destroyed Ealdor, there would be nothing left to stop him from babbling out his secrets."

"So she sent you here to make sure Arthur dies, and with him, any hope of the boy surviving?" said Nimueh in a thoughtful voice.

"Two birds with one stone; most importantly of all, she did not even have to dirty her own hands," said Morgause with a smile. "She'll achieve great things when she becomes Queen."

"And yet even her promise, you still considered betraying your sister in order to rule Camelot alone," said Nimueh with a laugh. "I'd be more careful if I were you; after all, if you were willing to betray her, who's to say she wouldn't do the same to you? The bonds of blood only go so far when a throne is a stake"

"I'd appreciate it if you did not tell her about that little detail," said Morgause with faked concern.

"I don't bother myself with the petty games you seem to enjoy so much," said Nimueh. "But come, let us fulfil Lady Morgana's wish and put Arthur Pendragon out of his misery."

"Now that's something that will be easier done than said," said Morgause confidently. "But first, we should take care of the horses, least he find a way to elude us somehow. It always pays to plan ahead."

Nimueh gave a nod of assentation as Morgause took a few steps towards the animals and drew her knife, slitting the throats of both creatures in quick succession. Blood dripped down her chainmail, and seeped into her clothes. She felt a twinge of sadness as the beasts whinnied miserably as they gasped in their last breaths; animals were always more loyal than men or women. She quickly brushed aside such useless sentiments however; she could only hope that her charade could fool Nimueh long enough to give her a striking opportunity.

With that deed done, she walked directly into the cave, turning her back to the other sorceress as if she was without a care in the world. Both acts were displays of confidence and trust, and they could be the only actions that could allow her to surprise and overwhelm the sorceress before it was too late.

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><p><strong>ARS ARCANUM:<strong>

**The Strength of the spell itself depends on the natural ability of the one who casts the spell, as well as the strength of the emotion they are drawing on.**

**Air – Emotion required: Instinct**

External Effects: The ability to use one's mind to push or pull physical objects to or away from your own centre of gravity. Forces you create push back on you with equal force in the opposite direction. These forces are existent in normal everyday life, except they push against each other all the time. Magic simply makes these forces unbalanced.

Internal Effects: Grants one the ability to see the world in a slower time; i.e have faster reaction speed.

**Earth – Emotion required: Intent**

External Effects: Changes your own mass. (Altering the way gravity works by increasing or decreasing its pull.) Can only be used on yourself.

Internal Effects: Enhances physical attributes of a person, like strength, vision, scent, hearing and etc.

**Fire – Emotion required: Rage**

External Effects: Manipulates energy (fire, heat etc etc). Can only 'create' small sparks of flame (Draws on the energy of the atoms around us and causes them to react, thus transforming stored energy into heat energy from radioactive decay; does not actually create).

Internal Effects: Makes people or creatures see what is not real; i.e Illusions. Cannot make someone see what they would never believe.

**Water – Emotion required: Serenity**

External Effects: Encourages or dampens all emotions in people (can choose the emotions to strengthen) Hate, Despair, Love etc. You cannot create emotions that are not there in the first place, and you cannot use it on yourself.

Internal Effects: Allows one to become perfectly logical, the ability to process thoughts unhindered by emotional, sociological or moral constraints.

**Ether – Emotion required: Love (for an idea, a living being, or an object.)**

External Effects: A transfer of life energies from yourself to another in order to preserve them. Temporary, and does not heal any wounds. It only preserves life for a small amount of time, and can kill the caster if the spell is too powerful.

Internal Effects: Perceive the past, or a potential past (what could have been) and future(what could be).

**Void Energies – Emotion required: Ambition**

External Effects: Allows one to drain knowledge/thoughts from a subjugated target (i.e someone who has given up all hope).

Internal Effects: The magic of balance, able to extend one's own life at the cost of another. This can be used to gain immortality, or to heal wounds that would otherwise be fatal.

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><p><strong>AN:** I hope you liked this chapter! I know there wasn't too much action. but I was trying to focus on character development. not to mention that I prefer writing out plots and schemes as opposed to action scenes (as I'm sure you've noticed by now). Please review if you can spare a moment of your time! Oh and the complete magic system is now published. Personally, I think it has far more potential to influence our characters compared to the Merlin system (where spells are made up to solve problems that can't be solved with logic :P).

P.S The next chapter already has about 6k words at the time I'm publishing this, so with any luck, you will not have to wait long for it. After that though, I'll probably have to focus on my final exams :(.

P.P.S If anyone has any songs with a strong/dark mood and interesting lyrics (ones where the meaning is more ambiguous) that explores some aspect of human nature, feel free to recommend them to me. Sometimes music can inspire me to come up with ideas I wouldn't normally have. Any powerful classical based music is also welcome (e.g Presto (4 Seasons: Summer) by Vivaldi, or Montagues and Capulets by Prokofiev).


	17. Dragon's Peril VI: The Sorceress' Gambit

**Chapter 17: Dragon's Peril VI: The Sorceress' Gambit**

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>

Sorry for keeping everyone waiting! I actually had this part of the chapter done for a long while, but I didn't want to release it before I actually finished the storyline for this episode. Sadly, it has now reached over 12,000 words and I still haven't finished, so I gave up on that plan and decided to publish this half. Hopefully, it stands well on its own as an individual chapter! As usual, I would love any reviews that you send me, and I endeavour to reply to all of them, even if I sometimes don't do that on a timely manner! Oh and I've decided to attach an appropriate quote from works I like to each new chapter from now on; it's just something fun I decided to do.

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><p>"<em>Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions." – Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince.<em>

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><p>Arthur slowly made his way through the caves, his torch casting dim shadows on the wall. He did not like enclosed spaces; if something attacked him in here, there would be no room to manoeuvre. He stepped around yet another corner, only to stop dead in his tracks. The tunnels led him to some kind of underground cavern. It was almost like a hall made entirely of stone. Sunlight seeped into the caverns from a strangely circular opening high above him, bathing the cavern in its warm light. He looked ahead, scanning for any sign of the flower he needed; his eyes settled on a patch of white that lay across a strangely artificial stone bridge. Now he was even more confused; why would someone build a bridge in the middle of nowhere? As he approached the bridge however, he immediately saw why. Below his feet was an impossibly deep chasm; try as he might, he could not make out the bottom of the abyss.<p>

'Good thing I have no fear of heights,' thought Arthur to himself as he slowly stepped onto the bridge. It was just thin line made of rock, carved directly out of the chasm, barely three feet across. If you had an army on the opposite side of the bridge, Arthur had no doubt that you could hold this cavern against an army ten times the size of your own. The Prince did not look down; he simply took one step at a time, making sure that his feet stayed at the centre of the precarious bridge.

It took him a few moments before he realised that he was on the other side; he quickly picked up his pace and walked directly towards the small bundle of flowers and plucked two out to inspect them. It was so small and looked so ordinary; could this plant really contain such a deadly poison and the cure at the same time? He sighed in frustration; if Morgause told him this is where the flower grew, who was he to question her? He quickly put the flowers inside a small pouch, and turned back to the bridge. To his shock, he saw Morgause standing on the other side, along with a woman he did not recognize.

"I thought you were staying outside," said Arthur as calmly as he could. "Who's your friend?"

"I lied," said Morgause coldly. "It's been interesting travelling with you, but the Lady Morgana has other plans for you. Let's just say you've outlived your usefulness"

Morgana? No, he would not accept it. She was many things, but Morgana would never betray him. Yet a small voice whispered in his head 'Of course she betrayed you; you're the one person who could possibly threaten her place on the throne.' Arthur shoved aside these thoughts and drew his sword, but the other woman reached out with her hand and the blade flew grip first directly into her grasp, before she tossed it aside like a useless toy. A sorceress!

"And here I was, thinking that we were getting along so nicely," said Arthur sarcastically. If they wanted him dead, he wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing him beg for his life.

"Ah, defiant to the end," said the other woman with an eerie smile on her lips. "The son of Uther Pendragon; you are every bit as pathetic as he was."

"If he's pathetic, what does that make you?" asked Arthur arrogantly. "After all, he did defeat you and the rest of your kind."

"I think it's time to end this," said Morgause as she took a step forwards, but the other woman held her back.

"Allow me," said the woman viciously. "One must indulge in her passions every now and again."

As Arthur readied himself, the woman sprung forwards with incredible speed. He only had enough time to blink before a cold hand wrapped around his throat and slowly began to apply an immense amount of pressure. Arthur tried to free himself from her unnaturally strong grip, but it was like trying to pry open the bars of a prison cell with your bare hands.

"Your father and I have a score to settle," said the woman as she pushed him to the ground. Arthur tried his best to resist, but none the less, he was forced to kneel before her. Black edges began to appear in his vision as his lungs tried desperately to gasp in a breath of air, to no avail. "Not to mention that killing you also inadvertently saves all of humanity. If it helps you any, think of your death as a necessary sacrifice for the greater good."

Suddenly, the sorceress gave out a cry of pain, releasing Arthur from her grasp. In a daze, he only saw a blade stuck directly into the woman's chest. As his brain tried to reorient himself, he saw Morgause take up his own sword and swing it in a broad swipe at the woman's head. The sorceress managed to move to one side, only to lose her footing at the side of the chasm. It was over almost as quickly as it begun.

"A pity about that blade," said Morgause with a sigh as she offered him a hand. "It served me well over the years, but I suppose your life was worth the trade."

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><p>Morgause tried to slow her breathing down as she went over the previous moments again in her head. She had struck Nimueh directly where her heart should be; by all rights she have died immediately. And yet she still had the strength to dodge her second blow… or did she attempt something else? Did she throw herself off the cliff voluntarily? The thought was disturbing; there are many ways one could easily survive a fall when you could alter the rules of the physical world with your mind. One thing was certain; she could not rule out Nimueh as a future threat.<p>

"We need to leave immediately," said Morgause as Arthur grasped her hand. "We may not be so lucky the next time she finds us."

"She fell off the edge, with your sword in her chest," said Arthur as he stood back up. "She has to be dead."

"It's always wise to prepare for the worst," said Morgause. "She's a sorceress; expect anything and everything."

There was a slight pause as Arthur considered her statement. When he opened to speak again, it was not what Morgause expected.

"Thank you… for saving my life," said Arthur in a somewhat reluctant tone. "Maybe I was wrong not to trust you."

"You're welcome, my Prince," said Morgause with a smile. If only the boy knew the truth; selective honesty could be far more devastating than any lie; the last thing he should do is trust her. Of course, she wasn't going to offer him that little bit of advice. "We can speak about this later once we've left this place."

Together, they walked in silence through the winding passages of the cavern systems; they were fortunate that the tunnels did not seem to wind in different directions. It did not take long for them to remerge into the light of day. The sun seemed almost blinding after spending even just a little while in that cavern.

"I do have some unfortunate news," said Morgause as Arthur shielded his eyes from the harsh light of the sun. "We will need to walk on our own two feet back to Camelot."

"What?!" said Arthur, his tone betraying his dismay. "Without the horses, we'll never make it back in time!"

"The poison will run its course in five days; only two have passed. If we hurry, we might just make it back in time," said Morgause in a reassuring voice. Personally, she cared not whether the boy lived or died; she only wanted Arthur to get out of this place alive. "But we must still be cautious; the beasts in here will tear us apart if we let our guard down."

"Perhaps you don't understand why I need to save Merlin," said Arthur as he set of at a rapid pace towards the trail. "Merlin saved my life; I owe him a debt."

"You are a prince Arthur, people will die for you," said Morgause calmly as she kept pace with him. "It's best to get used to it sooner rather than later."

"He's not dead yet," said Arthur angrily. "Come, we're wasting breath talking; we should focus on the journey ahead of us."

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><p>Lancelot rode swiftly as the wind brushed across his face. He had not had so much time for himself since he arrived in Camelot. From the time when he became a knight, his life was mostly filled with training, along with learning all the information he needed to know about his 'family'. The world of the nobility was vastly different from how he had imagined it. Yes, he didn't expect them to care too much for those who lived under their rule, but they seemed to have no respect for each other either. Every single knight was there to gain a position at court; to them, honour was just another tool to increase one's own reputation.<p>

With his mind already on the politics of the court, he quickly recalled the request Morgana had asked of him. She had asked him to lie, well she would call it an 'omission of truth', in order to protect both Arthur and herself. He did not want to listen to her, but everything she said had made sense. If he did tell Arthur, and the Prince seemed to know about his arrest beforehand, it could lead to Uther believing Arthur was more powerful than he really was, and thus lead to a greater punishment. Could he really tell the truth when it might cause great harm to others?

With his mind elsewhere, he almost missed the two figures on the road . He was fortunate that they had seen him, and decided to call out to him.

"Sire, I'm glad to have found you," said Lancelot as he approached them. "I'm surprised to see you on foot."

"That's close enough; as far as I'm concerned, you are a threat until you prove otherwise," said the woman beside the prince before Arthur could respond. This had to be Morgause, the ambassador from Essetir. "Who are you, and who sent you?"

"He's a knight of Camelot; he is not a threat," said Arthur dismissively, but Morgause raised a hand to stop him. Lancelot was curious; why did Cenred's ambassador act like she was Arthur's superior?

"Just because he is a knight does not mean he does not intend to do you harm," said Morgause. "Now speak, who sent you?"

"I'll assume that you're being hostile because you believe the king sent me," said Lancelot with a smile. "Do you really think he would have sent me alone if he knew where you were?"

"Perhaps not," said Morgause grudgingly. "There is one who knows exactly where we went however; if Uther did not send you, then the Lady Morgana did."

"That is correct, my Lady," said Lancelot with a polite nod.

"Well, I am glad that she sent you after us," said Arthur. "We lost our horses, but with you here, we can get this flower back to Merlin in time."

"Wait," said Morgause commandingly. "What caused the Lady Morgana to send you after us?"

Lancelot took a deep breath as he prepared to answer; the course of action was clear to him, no matter how distasteful it may be. If he told the truth, then both Morgana and Arthur may suffer for it, and if he lied, only Arthur would suffer. It would destroy the trust Arthur had in him, but if that was the price for keeping them both relatively unharmed, he would do it.

"Lady Morgana was simply worried," said Lancelot as calmly as he could; unfortunately, he had not had much practice in lying, and it was harder than he thought it would have been. It was fortunate that he was already breathless and sweating from his ride; else he was sure that even Arthur would be able to tell that something was not right. "She wanted me to come as part of a contingency plan; seeing as you have 'lost' your mounts, it seems like her concern was not misplaced."

He half expected the ambassador to catch him out on his lie before he had even finished. To his surprise, she gave a slight nod, as if everything he said made perfect sense. It was almost like the ambassador believed that Morgana's 'foresight' was completely normal.

"It's fortunate for the boy that you've managed to find us," said Morgause. "But tell me, what is the situation back in Camelot like? I can't imagine that Uther is pleased about his son disobeying a direct order."

"He is… furious at the Prince," said Lancelot hastily. "You may not receive a warm welcome when you come back."

"Well, that is to be expected," said Arthur. "But I'm sure my father will calm down once he realises that no harm has been done with my short leave of absence."

"Sire, seeing that you have no horse, I think I should take the flower and ride back to Camelot as soon as I can," suggested Lancelot.

"Can't you just give me your horse?" said Arthur with a raised eyebrow.

"I could," said Lancelot slowly. "But Uther may want to speak with you as soon as you enter the city; you might be unable to get the flower to Merlin at all. It's possible that he'll destroy the cure out of spite."

"He's right," said Morgause unexpectedly. "Uther does not like it when he loses control; who knows what he'll do?"

"Very well," said Arthur as he handed the pouch over. "Just make sure you don't lose it."

"I'll make sure it gets to Gaius as soon as I get back," said Lancelot. "Take care of yourself, sire."

"Do you seriously think a few bandits on the road could harm me?" asked Arthur amusedly.

Lancelot gave him a wan smile before turning around and riding back to the city. Everything felt wrong, but he knew in his mind that he had done best he could.

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><p>Morgana sat idly in Gaius's chamber, her face a veneer of calm, but inwardly she was lost; she did not know what else she could do. Merlin lay only a few feet away; she could see the veins of black on his skin. He would die soon if Lancelot did not return with the cure. Inwardly, she wondered why she even cared. True, the boy was likable enough, a little innocence and naivety did make for a nice change from what she was used to, but since when did she think that someone like him was worth risking her position as the heir to Camelot, or even her own life?<p>

She had learned the hard way that people around her were either pawns to be used, or enemies to be dispatched. Friends could betray you too easily, as shown by her father's fate. She supposed she trusted Gwen, but that was different; Gwen did not possess information that could ruin her. If she did, Morgana doubted she would remain friendly towards the girl for long. Trust was not a word she understood; after her father's death, she knew that trust was for fools, and fools ended up dead.

"My lady, I think that while Merlin would be touched by your concern, but he would not want you to sit here by his side for so long," said Gaius in a kindly voice as he approached her. "I'm sure there are many other tasks you need to attend to."

"I'm sure the King would send for me if he saw the need," said Morgana with a smile. "I'm not the Queen yet. Besides, ruling isn't as hard as you believe it to be."

"Very well, I'm sure that you know best. But is it proper for you to stay here for so long?" asked Gaius cautiously. Morgana had no doubt that the old physician was only looking out for her, but she did not care for his views.

"No one needs to know I'm here," said Morgana. "Unless you tell them of course, but you wouldn't do that now, would you?"

"Of course not," said Gaius. He was no doubt about to say something else, but at that moment, the door burst open, and Lancelot walked right into the chambers.

"You've returned earlier than I expected," remarked Morgana.

"I'm better at tracking than you think; besides, there was only one road to take," said Lancelot in return. He quickly drew out a pouch and handed it to the physician. "Here's the flower, I hope it is what you need."

"Thank you, all of you," said Gaius in a relieved voice. "It means a lot to me that you are willing to risk so much to save my nephew."

"He isn't saved yet," said Morgana in a cautioning voice. "We'll leave you to your work physician. Ser Lancelot, I would like you to walk with me."

She stood up and sauntered out without looking back; she knew Lancelot would follow her. Whether he knew it or not, he had no other choice but to follow through with her plan. As expected, she heard his footsteps behind her.

"So, did you do as I asked?" said Morgana once she reached a secluded part of her castle.

"I didn't like it, but I did what I needed to do. Arthur doesn't know the King intends to imprison him," said Lancelot carefully.

"I'm glad you listened to me, though if you had told him, it really doesn't change anything," said Morgana with a smile. "Come now, given his current status, did you really think he wouldn't expect some trouble back home?"

"So why did you want me to lie to him?" asked Lancelot angrily. She supposed he had a right to be angry; she would be if she was in his position.

"The less information Arthur knows, the better," said Morgana; of course, she was lying to him yet again; the truth might turn him against her, and that would be the last thing she wanted to happen. "As long as he does not know the specifics, it'll be better for both him and us. Besides, let's say that your little lie will help 'encourage' Arthur to act in the correct manner when he does arrive."

In truth, she set up this little test for Lancelot to see if he would listen to her or not. She was glad that he had proven himself to be trustworthy; if he had not, she would have had to incriminate him as Arthur's spy. It would have been unfortunate if that had come to pass; he deserved better, but she would have had no other choice.

"That sounds a little sinister," said Lancelot with an hint of wariness in his voice. "What exactly do you plan to do when Arthur returns?"

"It's quite simple; Uther no doubt knows that someone inside the city is aiding Arthur," said Morgana calmly. "To throw suspicions off ourselves, we are going to find him, and bring him back in chains ourselves. After that, we'll find someone to pin the blame on and wash our hands of this matter."

"You want him to act like he was betrayed, and so that's exactly what you are going to do," said Lancelot with anger. "And in the process, you'll destroy any bond of friendship I had with him."

"Someone will have to bring Arthur in anyway, it might as well be us," said Morgana in a slightly defensive tone. "And why should we take the blame for Arthur's idiotic mistake?"

She could see Lancelot was having trouble refuting her logic; it was true after all. And now that he was already in on her plan, it was too late for him to back out. Even he had to know that if he did, Arthur would already feel betrayed anyway.

"What will happen to him afterwards?" asked Lancelot in a defeated voice. "And who do you intend 'pin the blame' on?"

"I'll make sure Uther believes that Arthur was only being a boy; foolish and reckless, but nothing treasonous," said Morgana reassuringly. "As for his accomplices, well those knights you've told me about would serve quite nicely. I've easily discovered who they were in your absence."

"So, putting Arthur in chains and eliminating his supporters in one move?" asked Lancelot. "Why do I get the feeling that there's more to their rumours than I previously thought?"

"It's just a matter of efficiency; putting Arthur in his place, absolving myself of blame and cleaning up the rebellious elements among the knights, and saving Merlin at the same time" said Morgana with a simper. "But really, if you think I actually want to do harm to Arthur, would I tell you all of this? I could kill him with a whispered sentence to Uther if I chose to do so."

"Well no," said Lancelot after a long pause. "But none the less, I will be watching you very closely, my Lady."

"Every man of age in this kingdom already has their eyes on me even before I was the heir to the throne; what difference does one more make?" said Morgana teasingly. "Now go rest; you'll need it after that long ride."

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><p>It had been a long walk back to Camelot, and during that journey, Morgause had begun to feel a growing sense of unease in her stomach. Surely Uther would not allow Arthur to get off so easily with his little escapade. Some may see it as an act of childish rebellion, but a man such as Uther could view this as a threat to his uncontested dominance. If she was seen helping him, it may not end well for her either.<p>

"Arthur, I think we need to consider how we are going to get back inside the city," said Morgause carefully. "Somehow, I don't believe that your Father will just let you walk in through the front gate after you defied his direct edict."

"I don't think scaling the wall would make us look any better," said Arthur sarcastically. "Whatever he has in store, I think we should just get it over with."

"There is a way to make your little quest look more innocent than Uther would believe otherwise," said Morgause calmly. "Say a little liaison with a village girl; it is far less damaging than letting Uther believe that you left to incite rebellion against the crown, or whatever ridiculous plot he comes up with."

"I would never try to rebel against my father," said Arthur indignantly. "My so called 'attempt' a few weeks back was only meant to turn him around and save innocent lives."

"I believe you; the thought of you inciting a crowd is frankly, absurd. You couldn't charm a beggar if you tried," said Morgause haughtily. "Your father has an unnaturally high opinion of you however; that means he is likely to hand out harsher punishments as a result."

"Fine, we'll go along with your plan," said Arthur exasperatedly. "How do you intend to fabricate my so called 'liason'?"

"The easiest way would be to have one," said Morgause with a smile. To her surprise, she noticed immediately that Arthur's face seemed just slightly redder than it usually was. So he did not have much experience with women; that was rare for a man of noble birth. "But obviously, you are incapable of seducing even a village girl; I guess we could easily fabricate it by simply making a token that such a girl would give to you; like perhaps a wreath of flowers?"

"Well, I hope you know how to make one; I certainly don't," said Arthur with a scowl. "But what about you; how are you going to explain your absence if I was just visiting some nameless girl?"

"It's simple, I'll pretend to have captured you to bring back to Uther," said Morgause as she began to look around the field for any flowers she could find. She was fortunate that Camelot was an area where flax grew in abundance. Flowers however were harder to find; the best she could see were some pathetic white things that were smaller than her fingernails. "After all, I am supposed to be your future wife, and I do not like sharing."

"Do you really think my Father would believe that you are capable of capturing me?" said Arthur sarcastically.

"He would if I found you in a compromising position," replied Morgause without missing a beat. "Without a sword, the metal kind at least, you would be powerless before me."

Arthur did not respond after that; truly, he was a rather unique individual. What nobleman actually believes in honour and justice, and did not boast of their exploits with the fairer sex? Yes, he would prove rather easy to control once he became king; she just needed to make sure he got there. Unless of course, all of his so called honour and humility was just an act; in that case, he was an even more dangerous individual than her sister, but she doubted that anyone could be such an impeccable actor. And if he was that intelligent, surely he would already be King by now, not a dethroned Prince stripped off all inheritance.

She took her eyes off the Prince and began to work the long blades of flax into a wreath. While she had learned many skills that most women would not even dream of trying, she still learned the basics of the so called 'womanly arts'. One never knew when one had to pretend to be a 'proper' lady; it occasionally served as a rather useful decoy.

It was nearly dusk when she finally finished with the blasted wreath; it was average at best, with the tiny white flowers with their yellow cores, but at least it looked like it was made by a girl. That was all that mattered, and it would fool the common men of the city.

"Take your shirt off," commanded Morgause as she looked in Arthur's direction. He had fallen asleep while she worked on the wreath. The abrupt command seemed to wake him from his slumber immediately however.

"What did you say again?" asked Arthur disbelievingly.

"I believe you have ears; learn to use them," said Morgause with a smile. She took great joy in watching the boy squirm; it was just much too tempting to humiliate him. "Remove your upper garments. You may keep your lower garments on; I have no wish to see you naked."

"But you're a lady!" said Arthur indignantly. "It would be improper…"

"Like I said, I'm supposed to have caught you in a compromising situation," said Morgause. "Don't worry, we are less than an hour's walk from Camelot; the patrols would probably have found us already if we weren't hidden in the middle of a field."

"Fine," spat Arthur bitterly. "But mark my words; I'll remember this."

"If anything, you should be thankful that I came up with this at all," said Morgause calmly. "You wouldn't want your head to end up on a spike atop the walls now, would you?"

"My father wouldn't go that far," said Arthur.

"That's what you think," said Morgause in an ominous tone. "It's better to be safe than dead however. Always prepare for the worst."

Of course, she had another reason for going through these motions; if Uther did not believe in Arthur's story, then at least she would be the one seen bringing him in. That alone should absolve herself of any guilt Uther might try to pin on her.

"Here, wear this thing around your neck; Uther will believe I forced you to wear it to humiliate you, thus making our story all the more believable," said Morgause as she handed him the wreath. "Just don't wear it on your head; it looks too much like a crown if you do that."

"If this turns out to be a waste of time, I'm going to kill you," said Arthur angrily. "Now let's move, we've wasted enough time already, and I haven't had a good meal in days."

"Don't relax your guard, Arthur Pendragon," said Morgause in a softer voice; despite everything, she had grown to rather like the boy. He may be a pawn in her game, but as a pawn he was rather amusing to play with. "The most dangerous part of any endeavour is when you have almost succeeded."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you it was Arthur that you saw on the road?" asked Morgana carefully. The man she was questioning was breathing heavily; it seemed that he had run back to the city as fast as he could. She wondered why the man had come to her instead; whatever the reason, she wouldn't waste this stroke of luck.<p>

"Yes, milady; he walked into the fields," stuttered the soldier nervously. The boy was probably not used to dealing with someone of her station. "If you want, I can show you where I saw him…"

"That will not be necessary," said Morgana with a smile. To her amusement, it seemed that her attention only made the boy try to stand even straighter than he already was; she wouldn't have though it possible if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes. "You've done well by coming to me; Guinevere, see to it that this man receives a gold sovereign for his troubles."

"Milady, I can't take-," began the boy, but Morgana silenced him with a wave of her hand.

"It's not polite to refuse a lady," said Morgana in a chastising tone. "Let no one say that I do not reward those who serve me well; now leave me, I have work to do."

The boy gave her a very quick bow before leaving immediately; she always found it amusing how common men were so easily intimidated. She hoped her act of 'generosity' would spread amongst the soldiers; this was one rumour that could greatly benefit her. Gold can be beautiful, but ultimately useless except for what value men attributed to it; information however, can be priceless. If she hoped to rule someday, then she must first have the loyalty of the men at arms. She did not expect gold to provide her with the army she sought, but it would provide her with the means to gain the information she needed to solidify her grasp on the throne.

"Milady," said Gwen slowly. "Are you sure what you did was wise? That's a whole month's wage!"

"Gwen, after spending such a long time with me, I'd expect you to understand me better," said Morgana indifferently. "A single gold sovereign is nearly worthless to me; I could spend a thousand times that and not be any poorer for it. I do have need for words however, and the rumour that I am exchanging gold for words could greatly benefit me; I don't have to pay for all the words I hear, just the ones that matter to me."

"I… understand, milady," said Gwen meekly. Morgana restrained an inward sigh; she had given up trying to teach Gwen how to speak like the nobility years ago. "But is it right to give tempt men with the promise of gold when you only intend to grant it to a select few?"

Morgana looked at her maid incredulously; unsure of whether to burst into laughter or to simply shake her head at her ignorance. She chose instead to maintain her calm demeanour; no need to destroy the girl's naivety, though she would have expected her to learn after spending so many years at court by her side.

"I'll throw the others a bone or two; I wouldn't want them to think that their efforts are in vain," said Morgana at last, choosing to subtly explain to her maid without giving the game away. If she understood the meaning in between her words, then perhaps she could explain more; it would be nice to have someone that she could speak to in a candid manner. "Even a few miserable copper coins can satisfy a commoner. But it will be the lure of greater riches that will make them keep giving me what I need."

As expected, Gwen did not grasp the meaning behind her words; no doubt she only saw how she was giving them additional wealth, and not the mind game that she was playing. Morgana had always wondered if there was something that separated the nobility from lesser men. Were they ordained to rule by a higher power, or would she herself be as clueless as the vulgar masses if she had not been born into privilege? She supposed it would be a combination of both; she knew her share of pathetically useless lords, whose only purpose was to flatter their master in hopes of scraps. However, certain commoners showed strength of character that was worthy of nobility, but they would need her knowledge if they ever hoped to rule. She sighed softly to herself and turned back to the matter at hand; where did she ever get the idea that she should aid a commoner anyway?

"Gwen, go find Lancelot," said Morgana commandingly. "I want him to take around forty mercenary troops and relieve the usual gate guards; I want all our patrols recalled as well."

"Yes milady," said Gwen dutifully. "But don't you think he'd want to know why you need to change the guardsmen?"

Morgana considered the question quickly; Lancelot himself should know the answer, but in the rare event that he did not and refused to carry out her orders, then what should be a simple act could become disastrous. Besides, the man seemed to want an explanation for everything; it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Let's just say that events could end rather badly if we ordered soldiers who once fought under Arthur to arrest him," said Morgana. "I'm sure Lancelot will understand; now go and do as I ask."

"I'll leave to inform him at once then, milady," said Gwen submissively. Morgana noticed that the girl was avoiding eye contact deliberately; she was likely uncomfortable with the commands she had been given. Still, there was no other servant who could keep a secret as well as her, and Morgana trusted that Gwen would do her duty.

* * *

><p>Lancelot listened mutely as Guinevere delivered Morgana's commands to him. This was it; the moment where he would have to choose between serving Arthur or Morgana. If he chose to aid Arthur instead, everything Morgana planned for would come to naught. And yet if he did not arrest Arthur, it could become disastrous for all those involved. It was ironic that he, a former mercenary who tricked his way into being a knight, held in his hands the spark that could ignite a civil war. In the end, this was not a choice at all; despite the short time they had known each other, Morgana already knew him too well. He swore an oath that he would protect the innocent, no matter the cost. If he had to sacrifice his honour and betray a friend, so be it.<p>

"Tell Lady Morgana that I will go do what needs to be done," said Lancelot heavily.

"Ser Lancelot… can I make a personal request?" asked Gwen timidly.

"Of course Guinevere; what's on your mind?" asked Lancelot. "And there's no need to address me so formally in private; you know who I really am."

"I just want you to make the right decision here; I don't think Arthur deserves to be imprisoned for trying to save Merlin," said Gwen quickly, then she looked around with fear, as if afraid the walls would have ears.

"No, he does not," said Lancelot sadly. "But he defied the king, and I must do whatever I can to avoid unneeded bloodshed."

"I… I understand," said Gwen meekly. "Please, don't tell Lady Morgana I said that."

"Are you afraid she'd punish you for speaking your mind?" asked Lancelot.

"She's been… different these last few weeks," said Gwen uncertainly. "I think becoming the heir to the throne has changed her."

"Power changes people," said Lancelot after a moment's pause. "But in the end, we must trust that Lady Morgana has what is best for Camelot in mind."

"But what if she does not?" asked Gwen in a voice that was barely more than a whisper.

"You should not speak of such things; she's treated you well, and it is not honourable to speak ill of her behind her back," said Lancelot firmly. "You should voice your concerns to her instead; I believe she will listen to you."

"Of course," said Gwen quickly. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

Lancelot watched her walk away with an air of melancholy. Yes, he believed that Morgana had what was best for Camelot in mind, but it is mere coincidence that what is best for Camelot is also best for her?

* * *

><p>Morgause slowly marched her way up the main road to the castle; she had found a rope with which she restrained Arthur; if nobody looked too closely, he would look like any other prisoner. It was odd that they had not run into any patrols so far. Perhaps someone recalled all the guards back into the city? There are only two people in Camelot who could command the men so; Uther or Morgana. Something was not right; what if Morgana actually sent Arthur to die? On the other hand, if it was Uther who wanted Arthur dead, there was little she could do to stop it.<p>

Of course, that was the real reason why she bothered to come up with the excuse she had made for Arthur. If someone did want him dead, then at least she could take the credit for being the one to actually capture him. Morgause learned early in life to always keep a back door open for oneself.

As they approached the gates, a clear horn sounded in the distance. The gates creaked open, and a full squadron of men poured out, taking up a circular formation around them. Morgause instantly noticed how the men were dressed in decorative plate mail, instead of the usual chainmail. This was an elite group of mercenaries; someone had replaced the guard. Slowly, the ranks in front of her parted way, revealing a knight on a horseback. As the animal walked forwards at a leisurely pace, she recognized this knight; it was the same man who Arthur had given the cure to. Morgause could not help but admire how easily her sister had played the Prince. It seemed that she had easily wormed her way into the hearts of men Arthur trusted.

Morgause knew that this Lancelot could not expose the fact that she did not actually capture Arthur. If he did, that would reveal the fact that he had found them before, and thus linking Morgana herself to Arthur's little quest. Thus she was perfectly safe; Arthur's fate however, was left in the hands of Morgana. She noticed the fury in his eyes, and also a certain sense of panic; was the boy actually thinking about his servant when his own life hung in the balance?

"Ser Knight," said Morgause with a polite bow as Lancelot came to a stop in front of her. "I've bought forth your wayward prince."

"So I see," said Lancelot in a respectful voice; she had to admire his calm despite the unusual situation. "We feared the worst when we found you gone, Lady Ambassador; the King was afraid that his son had dragged you along on whatever foolish errand he decided to go on."

"I suspect I was the last person he wanted around," said Morgause with a laugh. "Did you think he was off on some noble quest? No, he simply wanted to play around with some village girl. Naturally, I was not pleased."

"I think the King will want to hear the whole story himself," said Lancelot after a moment's pause. Strangely, he seemed almost relieved; perhaps Morgana did not intend to kill Arthur after all, or maybe the knight was having second thoughts. Whatever it was, it suited Morgause just fine.

"I suspect he will," said Morgause confidently. "Come; let us go see the King then."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I hope you enjoyed this chapter! This episode has turned out to be far more complex than I imagined it would be, but it was just too tempting to twist it for my own ends due to the simplicity of the original story. Please review if you can spare a minute of your time; it is much appreciated and all authors love feedback on their works. If you have quite a bit of time, tell me what you think of each character's personality and motives. I especially love reviews that offer another perspective on my work; to those who write them, you are amazingly inspirational.

**P.S** I'm not going to promise any decent timeframe for my next chapter, as I can't seem to keep to my promises, but hopefully it will be done soon™!

**P.P.S** Oh and I'm loving Morgana in the new season of Merlin! If you like, tell me what you think of it! I'll just put my personal opinion here to start a little discussion; Morgana's method of ruling is superior to Arthur's. Case in point: Saxons follow her every order without question, and Mercenaries with no loyalty to anyone bow to Morgana; Arthur's own villagers can't even bother kneeling when he arrives and then defies him until he draws his sword.


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